Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Catholic Church, has died in the Vatican. He was 88 years old. The death of the pontiff was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who noted that Francis passed away at 7:35 am. According to the cardinal, Francis devoted his entire life to serving the Lord, preaching faith, love and care for the poorest.
On the eve of his death, the Pope had a brief meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance. They discussed issues of religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the international situation.
Recently, Francis’ health has deteriorated sharply. He was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, which required blood transfusions and artificial lung ventilation. Doctors even considered stopping his treatment to allow him to pass away in peace.
Read also: Pope Francis thanks the faithful and calls to pray for peace
Francis has left behind a complex legacy. He has been repeatedly criticised for his controversial statements on the war in Ukraine. In March 2024, the Pope said that ‘the strongest will be the one who has the courage to raise the white flag’, calling for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The Vatican explained that this was not a call for surrender, but the statement provoked a sharp reaction in Ukraine, particularly from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Earlier, the pontiff had also expressed positive opinions about Russians, calling them a ‘great people’ and mentioning ‘Russian humanism’. In his statements, he also said that NATO expansion could have been one of the factors that influenced the outbreak of the war, which has drawn additional criticism.
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