Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the global Christian community, has passed away at the age of 88 after battling serious lung complications for a prolonged period.
According to a BBC report, he died at 7:35 am local time on Monday, April 21.
Pope Francis was the first non-European pontiff since 741 AD. Following the death of Pope Gregory III, who was of Syrian origin, no other non-European had held the papacy until Francis was elected.
Throughout his papacy, he remained committed to reforming the Catholic Church, earning widespread admiration and respect.
In an official statement, Vatican spokesperson Cardinal Farrell said, "Pope Francis dedicated his entire life to the service of the Lord and the Church." Remarkably, just a day before his passing, he addressed thousands of worshippers in St Peter's Square with an Easter blessing.
His death has brought sorrow to the Christian faithful and religious communities around the world.
Pope Francis was elected as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI.
