Letter #28, 2025, Monday, April 21: Pope Francis has died

    Letter #28, 2025, Monday, April 21: Pope Francis has died    

    Pope Francis passed away this morning at 7:35 a.m.

    Here is the statement issued by Matteo Bruni, the head of the Vatican Press Office:

    Statement by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, 21.04.2025 (link)

    At 9:47 this morning, His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, sadly announced the death of Pope Francis, with these words:

    “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 His Church.

    He taught us to live the values ​​of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized.

    With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”

    ***

    I knew Pope Francis, wrote a book about him, and was a guest in his house.

    I respected his profound commitment to the weak, the sinful, the poor, the forgotten, and his teaching, with urgency, that Christ wills the strengthening of the weak, the repentance of the sinful, the support of the poor, the remembrance of the forgotten.

    This is his legacy, and it is an important and deeply spiritual legacy.

    I also was concerned about some of his positions and statements, leaving many in considerable confusion.

    This, too, was his legacy, and will remain for Catholics to study and explain in years to come.

    I am stunned at his death now, because he seemed, actually, to be recovering bit by bit, after his month-long stay in a Rome hospital.

    I saw him on Saturday evening in St. Peter’s Basilica and he seemed alert.

    Now he has passed away.

    I am traveling through Italy, and visiting Manoppello today. I will be posting more this evening, and going live on Urbi’s YouTube and Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages’ Instagram account since we are on pilgrimage in these days.

    May Pope Francis rest in peace and may eternal light shine upon him.

    —RM    

    P.S. To subscribe to Inside the Vatican magazine, click here.