Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 at his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, in Vatican City, the Holy See’s press office announced.
Despite recent health struggles, including a bout of pneumonia, the pontiff had continued fulfilling his duties as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
In recent months, he had been undergoing a recovery program, but his condition significantly worsened.
The Vatican is expected to announce the funeral arrangements and the procedure for electing a new pope in the coming days.
Pope Francis was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a family of Italian immigrants. He made history in 2013 as the first Jesuit pope and the first pontiff from the Americas.
