A Shepherd Passes on Easter: Pope Francis Dies at 88, Leaving the World in Mourning
By Jeffery Fogg | This Is Topeka
VATICAN CITY — In a turn of events that shocked the world, Pope Francis died on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. The 88-year-old pontiff, revered globally for his humility and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalized, passed away peacefully in his residence at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta just hours after delivering what would become his final Easter blessing.
The timing of his death — on the holiest day of the Christian calendar — sent a ripple of disbelief through Catholic communities and global leaders alike. Millions had just witnessed the pope’s frail yet resolute appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he raised his hand in blessing from a wheelchair, smiling through visible exhaustion. Within 24 hours, the Vatican confirmed his death.
Though Pope Francis had endured several health scares in recent years, including surgery and a prolonged hospitalization for double pneumonia earlier this year, no one expected his final moments would come on the day celebrating the resurrection of Christ. It was, in a way, deeply symbolic — and profoundly jarring.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he became the 266th pope in 2013 and the first from the Americas. A Jesuit, a reformer, and a man of the people, Pope Francis spent much of his papacy confronting the internal failures of the Catholic Church while also championing causes far beyond its walls: climate action, LGBTQ inclusion, migrant rights, economic inequality, and interfaith solidarity.
“He was the people’s pope,” said Cardinal Jean-Marie Joubert of Lyon. “And now, he dies on the people’s feast. It’s hard not to see something divine in that.”
Leaders from around the world have issued statements of sorrow. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who had met with the pope earlier this year, called it “a heartbreaking loss for humanity.” French President Emmanuel Macron said, “He chose humility over power. That will be his legacy.” Even critics of the Vatican’s hierarchy praised Francis for confronting entrenched abuses and shining a light on injustice.
Despite growing frailty, Pope Francis refused to resign — a contrast to his predecessor, Benedict XVI — insisting that suffering was part of his calling. His final weeks were spent in quiet contemplation, and insiders say he had already written instructions for a modest burial at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where he will be laid to rest — the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in over a century.
The Vatican is expected to announce funeral plans within the next 48 hours. A papal conclave will follow, likely beginning in early May, to select a new spiritual leader for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
But for now, the Church grieves — not only a pope but a symbol of compassion, courage, and conscience.
He died on Easter. And for many, that says everything.
