ibn sultan
Vatican City:Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor, has died, the Vatican announced on Monday. He was 88. The pope had suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy and had survived a serious bout of double pneumonia recently.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel.
“At 7:35 (5:35 GMT) 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 died on Easter Monday, just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter’s Basilica.
The pontiff had become pope in 2013 after his predecessor, Benedict XVI, resigned.
