James O'Reilly
On April 21, 2025, the world woke up to the announcement that Pope Francis had passed away. The Camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell, shared the news at 9:47am that morning with these words:
CARD. KEVIN JOSEPH FARRELL
Camarlengo
Dear 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.
Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke on Easter Monday. The stroke caused the pope to enter into a coma and which then led to cardiovascular collapse. These were the causes listed in the death report published by the Holy See. The Chair of Peter was vacant and the period of Sede Vacante began.
The rite for the official confirmation of death and the placement of the body in the coffin took place at 8:00pm that same day in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis had lived for the past 12 years.
Following traditional protocol, the papal apartment on the third floor was sealed. The rite was attended by the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin, as well as his deputy, Cardinal Edgar Peña Parra, the Camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell, and the Prefect of the papal household, Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza.
Pope Francis’s body remained in the chapel of Santa Marta until Wednesday, April 23. Civil authorities, Catholic leaders, and those close to the Argentine pope gave their final respects there.
