Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has announced.
His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by the Vatican.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," he said.
"At 7.35am this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.
"He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.
"With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
The process for choosing a new pope - conclave - generally takes place between 15 and 20 days after the death of a pontiff.
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On February 14th, the Pope was admitted to hospital for bronchitis treatment.
During his 38-day hospital stay, the Vatican said he was diagnosed with pneumonia, had blood transfusions to combat low platelet levels in his blood and showed signs of kidney failure.
Following this, thousands of faithful gathered in St Peter's Square to pray for his recovery, as others went to the Rome hospital where he was staying to leave flowers and cards.
Faithful pray during a nightly rosary in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for Pope Francis' recovery, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)He remained in hospital for the rest of the month, with doctors saying that his condition remained "complex".
He returned to the Vatican after he was released on March 23rd and began two months of prescribed rest and recovery.
On Sunday, he greeted crowds at the Easter Sunday Service.
The Pope's original name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio and he previously served as a bishop in Buenos Aires.
An estimated 1.4 billion Catholics across the world will mourn Francis' passing.
The President, Taoiseach and Tánaiste are among those paying tribute.
Reporting via IRN
Main image: Pope Francis blesses crowds in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, 30-4-16. Image: Gennaro Leonardi / Alamy
