Pope Francis attends services at Croke Park, Dublin, on August 15, 2018, during the World Meeting of Families. (Photo by Maxwell Photography/WMOF2018)
Pope Francis, who sought to be a bridge maker as he led the Catholic Church in a time of deep polarization, died Monday morning at the age of 88—a day after a surprise appearance in Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially toward the poorest and most marginalized,” read a Vatican statement by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is charged with overseeing the papal funeral and the election of the next pope.
The pope had been recovering from double pneumonia, for which he was hospitalized in mid-February and released after five weeks. The aging pontiff was initially treated for bronchitis during his hospital stay, but his doctors later said that he had developed pneumonia and was in critical condition at the time. Part of Francis’s lung had been removed at 21 after a life-threatening pneumonia.
