Pope Francis dies: what he left behind and how he spoke about Russian aggression against Ukraine
21 April 18:06
Pope Francis has died in the Vatican. His heart stopped on the morning of April 21. At the time of his death, he was 88 years old.
This was reported through the Vatican’s official social media account.
“Pope Francis passed away on the Monday after Easter – April 21, 2025. He was 88 years old. He died at his residence in Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican,” Vatican News said.
It is known that the pontiff had long had health problems. Back on February 14, he was hospitalized with bronchitis, but later he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, which was accompanied by asthma attacks. He was regularly given oxygen. Doctors assessed the Pope’s condition as critical, RBC-Ukraine reports.
After more than five weeks in the hospital, Francis was discharged on March 23. Doctors recommended him to take at least two more months of rest for a full recovery.
on April 16, it became known that the Pope would not participate in the pre-Easter rites and services scheduled for April 20, as he was still recovering from his illness.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, April 20, the pontiff held a brief meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. The meeting took place after the Pope criticized the administration of President Donald Trump over their policy of deporting migrants.
The conversation between the Pope and the Vice President did not last long – they only exchanged Easter wishes.
Biography of Pope Francis
Pope Francis became the first ever head of the Catholic Church to come from the New World. He initiated a number of important reforms in the Vatican and had a reputation as a spiritual leader with progressive views on socially important topics. Before his election as pontiff, his name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born on December 17, 1936, in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires, to Italian immigrants. His father worked for the railroad, and Jorge himself received his theological education at the seminary of his hometown.
Before connecting his life with the Church, Jorge tried his hand at various professions – he worked as a nightclub security guard, a laboratory assistant, and a janitor. The desire for the priestly vocation came to him at the age of 17 during a solemn service.
At the age of 21, he decided to join the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and began studying the humanities, first in Chile and later in Buenos Aires, where he received a degree in philosophy. After that, he worked as a teacher of literature, philosophy, and theology at Catholic schools in Buenos Aires.
In 1980, Bergoglio was appointed rector of the Seminary of St. Joseph. After defending his dissertation, he became a spiritual director in the Archdiocese of Córdoba.
Throughout his church career, he held various positions in the Jesuit order of Argentina, later becoming Bishop of Buenos Aires, and in 2001 was elevated to the rank of cardinal. In the Vatican, he headed several councils and departments of the Roman Curia. He was noted for his simplicity and modesty in everyday life: he refused to use an official car and lived in a small apartment. In 2005, Bergoglio was already considered as a candidate for the papal throne, but then he did not get enough votes.
on March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope. He took the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. This name was first used among Vatican leaders.
Francis became the first pontiff from the New World and the first non-European to hold the papal throne in more than 1200 years. He was also the first representative of the Jesuit order to become Pope.
What Pope Francis is remembered for
Among his initiatives is the creation of the Click to Pray prayer platform, which is available as a website and a mobile application. Its goal is to allow people to pray anytime and anywhere. The pontiff himself presented the application during a Sunday sermon using a tablet.
He also ordered the installation of showers for the homeless in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Later, such facilities were installed at other churches in Rome.
In 2016, a historic event took place – the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches met for the first time. Pope Francis had a conversation with Patriarch Kirill in Cuba, in the capital of Havana.
Earlier, in 2013, Pope Francis initiated the first audit of the Vatican’s financial activities. He actively supported anti-corruption reforms and ordered the publication of an annual report on the operations of the Vatican Bank.
Francis also advocated for simplifying the process of recognizing the invalidity of marriage, making this procedure more accessible to believers. In addition, he openly criticized priests who refused to baptize children born out of wedlock. According to him, the mothers of such children deserve support, not condemnation, unlike those who choose to have an abortion.
Pope Francis’ position on homosexuality has evolved over time. In 2010, while still in Argentina, he opposed same-sex marriage and the adoption of children by such couples. Subsequently, he changed his tone, emphasizing that members of the LGBT community have the right to respect and should not be discriminated against. In 2020, the Pope expressed support for the idea of legislative recognition of “civil unions” for homosexual couples as a way to guarantee their basic rights.
What the Pope has said about Ukraine
Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken out about Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, consistently calling for peace, an end to hostilities, and the protection of human life. He called the war a “disgrace to humanity” and a deep tragedy that affected not only Ukraine but the whole world. In general, his position on the conflict was focused on finding ways to a peaceful settlement, but some of the Pope’s statements provoked controversial reactions.
For example, in March 2024, in an interview with the Swiss broadcaster RSI, he said that“the strongest is the one who has the courage to raise the white flag.” These words were perceived ambiguously, with many people interpreting them as a hint of Ukraine’s surrender. However, the Vatican explained that the Pope was not calling for surrender, but wanted to emphasize the importance of negotiations and diplomatic solutions.
In January 2025, Francis expressed hope for a speedy end to the war. He called on the international community to join forces to establish a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
“My wish for 2025 is that the international community will first and foremost make every effort to end the war that has been causing suffering to martyred Ukraine for almost three years and has led to a huge number of victims, including civilians,” Pope Francis said.
