Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican says.
The Pope, who was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at 07:35 local time on Easter Monday.
World leaders pay tribute to his “contagious smile” and “boundless compassion”, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling him a “man of humility”.
His death comes a day after he appeared in St Peter’s Square to wish “Happy Easter” to thousands of worshippers.
The cause of death was a cerebral stroke, followed by irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.
This occurred after a period of declining health, including a recent hospitalization for bilateral pneumonia and episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency
He was recently discharged from hospital last month after five weeks of treatment for an infection.
Francis’s death sets in motion the centuries-old process of electing a new Pope.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, served as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church since his election on March 13, 2013.
He was the first Latin American pope and was widely recognized for his humility, advocacy for the marginalized, and efforts to reform the Church.
Sources: BBC | Vatican News
