Pope Francis, the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the first pontiff from the Americas, has passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, the day after Easter.

"At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church," Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo. “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."

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, Francis was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969 and later became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. His work in Argentina reflected his deep concern for the poor and his emphasis on a “Church of the peripheries.” In 2013, he was elected to the papacy following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, taking the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, known for his devotion to the poor and the environment.

Throughout his tenure, Pope Francis sought to reform both the Vatican bureaucracy and the Church’s approach to global issues. His encyclical Laudato Si in 2015 called for urgent action on climate change, and Fratelli Tutti in 2020 emphasized fraternity and social solidarity. He also implemented financial reforms within the Vatican, aiming for greater transparency in Church governance.

Francis often took unconventional positions, challenging political norms and the stances that would be expected by many Catholics. He called for compassion toward migrants, worked toward reconciliation and sought to modernize the Church’s approach to social issues while upholding its core doctrines. His outreach to LGBTQ Catholics, calls for a greater role for women in the Church, and emphasis on pastoral care over rigid legalism sparked both praise and criticism.

Following Pope Francis’s passing, the College of Cardinals will convene in Vatican City for the conclave—a closed-door gathering in the Sistine Chapel where they will elect the next pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and the process continues until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. The election is marked by secrecy, with ballots burned after each round—black smoke signals an inconclusive vote, while white smoke announces that a new pope has been chosen.

The next pope will inherit a Church at a crossroads, balancing Francis’s calls for reform with traditionalist concerns about doctrine and governance.