Pope Francis
By Victory Oghene
Pope Francis is dead. He died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis this morning from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 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 of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. 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 Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists later on Monday that the late Pope’s body could be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, so that the faithful may pray before his mortal remains.
“The translation of the Holy Father’s mortal remains to the Vatican Basilica, for the veneration of all the faithful, may take place on the morning of Wednesday, April 23, 2025, according to the arrangements that shall be determined and communicated tomorrow, following the first Congregation of the Cardinals,” Mr. Bruni said.
The Pope was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Friday, February 14, 2025, after suffering from a bout of bronchitis for several days.
Pope Francis’ clinical situation gradually worsened, and his doctors diagnosed bilateral pneumonia on Tuesday, February 18.
After 38 days in hospital, the late Pope returned to his Vatican residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery.
In 1957, in his early 20s, Jorge Mario Bergoglio underwent surgery in his native Argentina to remove a portion of his lung that had been affected by a severe respiratory infection.
As he aged, Pope Francis frequently suffered bouts of respiratory illnesses, even cancelling a planned visit to the United Arab Emirates in November 2023 due to influenza and lung inflammation.
In April 2024, the late Pope Francis approved an updated edition of the liturgical book for papal funeral rites, which will guide the funeral Mass which has yet to be announced.
The second edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis introduces several new elements, including how the Pope’s mortal remains are to be handled after death.
The ascertainment of death takes place in the chapel, rather than in the room where he died, and his body is immediately placed inside the coffin.
According to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, the late Pope Francis had requested that the funeral rites be simplified and focused on expressing the faith of the Church in the Risen Body of Christ.
“The renewed rite,” said Archbishop Ravelli, “seeks to emphasise even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful person of this world.”
In a related development, Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined millions around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, describing the late pontiff as a “humble servant of God” and a “guiding light for millions.”
In an official statement from the State House on Monday, President Tinubu paid glowing tribute to the spiritual leader, praising his lifelong dedication to mercy, justice, and peace. The President noted the symbolic timing of the Pope’s passing, which came just a day after Easter Sunday, calling it “a sacred return to his Maker at a time of renewed hope for Christians.”
Pope Francis, who ascended to the papacy in 2013, was widely admired for his outspoken advocacy for the poor, migrants, and the marginalized, as well as his strong stance on climate change and social justice. President Tinubu reflected on the pontiff’s global influence, stating, “He was an instrument of peace who deeply embodied the message of Christ: love for God and love for humanity.”
The Nigerian leader lauded the Pope’s tireless efforts to build bridges across faiths and socio-economic divides, and his unwavering support for the developing world. He highlighted Pope Francis’s powerful encyclicals and pastoral letters, describing them as “seminal, timely, and relevant,” offering clarity and hope in an increasingly complex global landscape.
President Tinubu recalled his Easter message earlier this month in which he joined the Christian faithful in praying for the ailing Pontiff and rejoiced at his public appearance during the Easter Sunday blessing in Rome. “Alas, the Lord called him home a day after,” he lamented.
Describing Pope Francis as “the world’s most trenchant voice for justice and action against climate change,” the President urged people to honour the Pope’s memory not only through mourning but by emulating his values—lifting the vulnerable, healing communities, and defending human dignity.
“May the good Lord, whom he served with all his might, receive him into His eternal bosom,” President Tinubu said, extending condolences on behalf of the Nigerian government and its people to the global Catholic community.
