Pope Francis died of stroke and heart failure, Vatican doctor says, as tributes pour in for pontiff – latest updates
Pope Francis died of a stroke and heart failure, Vatican doctor says
Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican doctor, Andrea Arcangeli, said in a death certificate released on Monday.
The certificate, published by the Vatican, said the pope had fallen into a coma before his death early on Monday.
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“Early in his papacy Pope Francis said the name for God is mercy,” writes Francis Sullivan.
“He understood the church had become too doctrinaire, divisive and judgmental for too many people. The drift of Catholics from conventional practice in the west said as much. He knew the church had alienated the LGBTQ community, discriminated against women and resisted full participation for divorced and remarried Catholics. He acknowledged that previous popes had not confronted the clerical sex abuse scandal. He wanted to do better and the Catholic world was with him, the institution was not.
“The Catholic church by its nature is a conservative institution. It uses inertia as a management tool. Change is a slow and drawn-out affair. Francis regularly railed against clericalism because of its sense of entitlement and misuse of power. He saw it as one of the reasons why the church became obsessed with protecting its image instead of believing and caring for the victims of clerical sex abuse. He also realised the clerical instinct to protect their own and conceal their crimes was underpinned by their exclusive hold on the workings of the church.”
Here are some images coming to us from around the world.
Rebecca Ratcliffe
In the Philippines, where about 80% of the country’s 110 million people are Roman Catholics, tributes continued.
Martin Romualdez, speaker of the house of representatives, wrote that he joined the world in mourning “our beloved Lolo Kiko” – the nickname given to Pope Francis in the Philippines. “Kiko” is often used for men whose name is “Francisco” or “Francis”, and “Lolo” is an affectionate term for “grandpa”.
“To us Filipinos … he was more than the leader of the Catholic church. He was a source of strength, comfort, and hope,” said Romualdez.
Romualdez cited the Pope’s visit to Tacloban, the area worst affected by the devastating Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the Philippines in 2013, killing more than 6,000 people.
“I will never forget how he came to Tacloban … stood with us in the rain, and spoke to our pain. In that moment, we felt the embrace of a father.
“Lolo Kiko reminded us that true faith is lived through compassion, humility, and service. He gave voice to the poor, dignity to the forgotten, and hope to the weary.
“The world has lost a remarkable soul. But the love and light he shared will remain with us.
“Rest in peace, Lolo Kiko. Maraming salamat sa lahat. You will forever be in our hearts.”
Eva Corlett
New Zealand Catholics will hold special masses across the country in the coming days, as they mourn the death of Pope Francis.
The bishop of Auckland, Steve Lowe, who is the president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, said Catholics across the country “are praying for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis in thanksgiving for his servant leadership”.
“While he didn’t set foot on our shores, we know the deep love that Pope Francis had for the Catholic faithful scattered across the world.”
The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch said Pope Francis was a source of inspiration “through his compassion, humility, and faith”.
“Pope Francis touched the lives of millions with his message of love, mercy, and hope … Pope Francis will be remembered not only for his teachings but also for his tireless efforts to bridge divides between people of all backgrounds.”
Bishops will announce details for special masses in the coming days.
Flags on New Zealand’s public buildings have been lowered to half-mast and will be lowered again on the day of Francis’s funeral.
News channels across the world reported on the death of Pope Francis on 21 April. Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic church, died aged 88.
Pope Francis died of a stroke and subsequent heart failure, the Vatican has said in a statement, revealing that the pontiff had requested to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb, write Angela Giuffrida and Harriet Sherwood.
Francis, who twice almost died when hospitalised with severe pneumonia in February, also had multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
The pope confirmed in his will that he wished to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, breaking with longstanding Vatican tradition. He would pray at the basilica before and after trips overseas, and last visited on 12 April.
The text of his will specified that Francis wanted to be buried “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with the inscription of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.
Popes are usually buried with much fanfare in the grottoes beneath St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, but Francis – loved by many Catholics for his humility – simplified rites for papal funerals last year.
In the text of his will that was published by the Vatican, the late pope said: “The cost of preparing the burial will be covered by a sum provided by a benefactor, which I have arranged to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. I have given the necessary instructions regarding this to Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, extraordinary commissioner of the Liberian basilica.”
The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was “deeply saddened by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Catholics around the world and to all those mourning the loss of a compassionate and courageous moral leader.”
“Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for the rights and dignity of refugees, migrants and the forcibly displaced worldwide. He stood up and spoke out continuously and relentlessly for the victims of war and for those forced to flee their homes,” the organisation added.
“He drew the world’s attention to the human tragedies unfolding at Europe’s borders and those further away – emphasising our shared responsibility in protecting the lives of those forced to flee.
“Hearing from refugees firsthand in Lampedusa, Greece, Cyprus and beyond, he made a powerful call to the international community not to turn their back on those forced to flee.”
The Argentina footballer Lionel Messi paid tribute to Pope Francis with a message on social media.
“A different pope, close to us, Argentinean,” wrote the Inter Miami forward on Instagram, alongside a photo from their 2013 meeting.
“Pope Francis. Thank you for making the world a better place. We are going to miss you.”
Argentina’s football association postponed all fixtures on Monday to mourn the pontiff, an ardent fan of the game and supporter of San Lorenzo in Buenos Aires.
A minute’s silence will be held at matches this week.
Donald Trump said on Monday he would attend Pope Francis’s funeral with his wife, Melania.
“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome,” Trump said on Truth Social.
Members of the US Congress are reacting to the death of Pope Francis.
Congressman Scott Peters of California, a supporter of bipartisan climate action, released a statement upon learning of the pope’s death.
“Pope Francis’s loss is particularly painful today, as so many of us were heartened to see him celebrate the Resurrection of Christ yesterday,” Peters said. “He reminded Catholics and all Christians of the core values of our faith: caring for the poor and most vulnerable among us, outreach to those in most need of acceptance, healing and forgiveness, nurturing the planet and God’s creation, courage, faith, and love and inclusion for all of God’s children.”
The Massachusetts senator Ed Markey, senate author of the Green New Deal, said: “I join the world in mourning the loss of the people’s pope, His Holiness Pope Francis, who reminded us that no matter our faith, we are all caretakers of creation.”
He added: “It should be no surprise that a Jesuit trained in chemistry who was devoted to the poor and ensuring a just and better future for all mankind was the only pope to devote an entire encyclical to humanity’s relationship with the environment.”
Glaad, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ media advocacy organisation, has paid tribute to the pope.
“Pope Francis was a transformational leader who included LGBTQ people in historic ways,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of Glaad. “Having had the honour of meeting with Pope Francis twice, I witnessed first-hand his dedication to make a church for all, not just some. His principles of empathetic listening, inclusion, and compassion are exactly what this divided world needs right now.
“When Pope Francis spoke out against the act of criminalising LGBTQ people and when he famously spoke ‘who am I to judge,’ he created an example of unity that faith and civil leaders should follow,” Ellis added.
The statement also refers to meetings that Pope Francis had with the Glaad president and other LGBTQ+ advocates in previous years.
Christine Allen, director and CEO of the international charity Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, said in a statement: “Pope Francis’s greatest gift was that in an increasingly divided world, he could get people and governments to think beyond their own self-interest, and work together for the common good.
“Despite his massive influence on the world’s political stage, Francis was very much a pope in the world and among the people: whether it was listening to indigenous communities in the Amazon or kissing the feet of warring rivals in South Sudan and urging them to act for peace, he showed through his words and actions that the poorest, most vulnerable people were always his primary concern.
“His passing is particularly poignant during this jubilee year, when he had called for debt cancellation for low-income countries. He leaves a huge moral and spiritual void in the world.”
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, president of Nigeria, paid tribute to the pope, referring to him as a “steadfast advocate for the developing world.”
“I join the Catholic faithful and Christians worldwide in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a humble servant of God, tireless champion of the poor, and guiding light for millions,” he said. “He was a steadfast advocate for the developing world, where he consistently spoke against economic injustice and ceaselessly prayed for peace and stability in troubled regions.”
The Council for Christian Unity of the Church of England released a statement following the news of the pope’s death.
“It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Pope Francis, a great servant of Christ and leader of the Catholic church for twelve years. Pope Francis was a man of great personal warmth and integrity, with a strong commitment to the poor and the marginalised,” the statement reads.
“His commitment to synodality, the walking together of all the baptised in the way of Christ, underpinned his ecumenical vision. We have much for which to be grateful. May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.”
