Bulelwa Hoala

Pope Francis died at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025.
He was 88 years old.
According to the Vatican, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced Pope Francis’ death from the Casa Santa Marta and said, “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.”
Pope Francis made his last public appearance at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square for an Easter Sunday blessing.
He appeared on his wheelchair on the balcony at Saint Peter’s Basilica on Sunday where he called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address and wished the crowds a happy Easter.
This comes after Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital last month following five weeks of treatment for bronchitis, which led to double pneumonia.
On Friday,14 February 2025 he was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital with bronchitis.
His condition worsened and he was diagnosed double pneumonia on Tuesday, 18 February 2025.
He was eventually discharged after spending 38 days in hospital.
The Vatican has revealed that Pope Francis has suffered bouts of respiratory infections since he was in his 20s.
In 1957, Francis (formerly known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in his home country of Argentina) underwent surgery to remove a portion of his lung that was affected by a severe respiratory infection.
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