The Catholic Church has lost its leader.
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) died on April 21 at age 88, the Vatican confirmed.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a statement, obtained by NBC News. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized.”
His passing comes two months after his hospitalization for respiratory problems. The pontiff was initially admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on Feb. 14 to treat for lingering symptoms of bronchitis, but was later diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.
“The laboratory examinations, thoracic x-ray and clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” a Feb. 18 statement from the Holy See Press Office read, explaining CT scans showed a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract” and an “onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further drug therapy.”
On Feb. 22, the Vatican said additional testing showed “thrombocytopenia, associated with anemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions” amid Francis’ “critical condition.”
