Pope Francis dies at 88 after decade marked by reform and controversy

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and one of the most consequential religious figures of the 21st century, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced on April 21.

His death ends a historic and often contentious 12-year papacy defined by sweeping reforms, internal tensions, and global outreach.

“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a video statement on Vatican TV. “At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Pope’s passing came just a day after he made a brief public appearance in St. Peter’s Square to mark Easter Sunday—his first since being released from hospital on March 23 following a 38-day stay to treat double pneumonia.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, following the unprecedented resignation of Benedict XVI. A champion of the poor and an advocate for social justice, he brought a pastoral style and message of humility that broke sharply from Vatican tradition. From the outset, he declined to live in the opulent papal apartments, choosing instead a modest guesthouse for the sake of his “psychological health.”

Francis inherited a church in crisis—reeling from widespread child sexual abuse scandals and beset by dysfunction in its central administration. His election came with a clear reform mandate, and he moved swiftly to increase transparency, decentralise power, and take a tougher stance on abuse within the clergy.

However, his leadership also triggered fierce divisions. Conservatives accused him of abandoning Catholic orthodoxy, particularly over his outreach to divorced Catholics and LGBTQ+ individuals. At the same time, progressive voices within the Church were frustrated by what they saw as half-measures, especially in areas like women's ordination and celibacy.

Despite the internal dissent, Francis emerged as a towering moral authority on the world stage. He used his position to advocate for migrants, climate action, and interfaith dialogue, visiting more than 50 countries and frequently inserting the Vatican’s voice into geopolitical debates.

His papacy was also unprecedented in that he shared the Vatican with his predecessor, Benedict XVI, for nearly a decade. Benedict, who remained in residence after his resignation, was a spiritual and ideological counterweight until his death in December 2022.

Francis's long-lasting impact on the future of the Church is expected to be significant. He appointed nearly 80% of the current cardinal electors, increasing the chances that his successor may carry forward his vision of a more inclusive, outward-facing Catholic Church.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the Vatican in the coming hours. As the Catholic world mourns, the College of Cardinals will soon begin preparations for a new conclave that will shape the next chapter in the Church’s 2,000-year history.

By Vugar Khalilov