In picturesPope Francis 1936 - 2025

Pope Francis dies aged 88: A life in pictures

Vatican announces death saying his life was ‘dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church’

Pope Francis leaves after his general audience at St Peter's square on October 30, 2013 at the Vatican. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images
Pope Francis leaves after his general audience at St Peter's square on October 30, 2013 at the Vatican. Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images
Mon Apr 21 2025 - 10:04

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday, the Vatican said. He was 88 and had recently survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.

Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death, saying: “At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.”

Below is a selection of pictures from his life.

2010. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires outside a prison hospital where he went to visit patients. Photograph: Juan Manuel Foglia/Clarin via The New York Times
2010. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires outside a prison hospital where he went to visit patients. Photograph: Juan Manuel Foglia/Clarin via The New York Times
2013. Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio, elected Pope Francis I (C) waves from the window of St Peter's Basilica's balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013 at the Vatican. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images
2013. Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio, elected Pope Francis I (C) waves from the window of St Peter's Basilica's balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013 at the Vatican. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images
2018. Pope Francis arrives to the celebration for WMOF2018 Festival of Families, at Croke Park, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis arrives to the celebration for WMOF2018 Festival of Families, at Croke Park, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis in the Popemobile moving through the crowd in the Park. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis in the Popemobile moving through the crowd in the Park. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis in the Popemobile moving through the crowd in the Park. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis in the Popemobile moving through the crowd in the Park. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis, passes through O'Connell Street, Dublin in the popemobile. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis, passes through O'Connell Street, Dublin in the popemobile. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis and the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin Castle. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2018. Pope Francis and the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin Castle. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
2023. President Michael D. Higgins during his Audience with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Pontiff's Library in the Vatican. Photograph: Maxwells
2023. President Michael D. Higgins during his Audience with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Pontiff's Library in the Vatican. Photograph: Maxwells
2016. Pope Francis (C) releases a dove as a symbol of peace during a meeting with Chaldean community at the Catholic Church of St Simon Bar Sabbae in Tbilisi, on September 30, 2016. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images
2016. Pope Francis (C) releases a dove as a symbol of peace during a meeting with Chaldean community at the Catholic Church of St Simon Bar Sabbae in Tbilisi, on September 30, 2016. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images
2016 Pope Francis is greeted by wellwishers upon his arrival to Saint Peter's square at the Vatican for his Jubilee Audience on January 30, 2016. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
2016 Pope Francis is greeted by wellwishers upon his arrival to Saint Peter's square at the Vatican for his Jubilee Audience on January 30, 2016. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images
2015. Pope Francis speaks during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2015, at the United Nations in New York. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images
2015. Pope Francis speaks during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2015, at the United Nations in New York. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images
2015. Pope Francis (R) wears a plastic poncho as he waves to well wishers after a mass in Tacloban on January 17, 2015. Photograph: Johannes Eisela / AFP
2015. Pope Francis (R) wears a plastic poncho as he waves to well wishers after a mass in Tacloban on January 17, 2015. Photograph: Johannes Eisela / AFP
2022. Pope Francis wears a headdress presented to him by Indigenous leaders at Muskwa Park in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada, on July 25, 2022. Photograph: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
2022. Pope Francis wears a headdress presented to him by Indigenous leaders at Muskwa Park in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada, on July 25, 2022. Photograph: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
2019. Pope Francis kisses a child at the end of the general audience with members of the Italian Association against Leukemia-Lymphomas and Myeloma, on March 2, 2019, in Paul VI hall at the Vatican. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi / AFP via Getty Images
2019. Pope Francis kisses a child at the end of the general audience with members of the Italian Association against Leukemia-Lymphomas and Myeloma, on March 2, 2019, in Paul VI hall at the Vatican. Photograph: Tiziana Fabi / AFP via Getty Images
2016. Pope Francis wears a traditional Mexican sombrero hat received as a gift by a Mexican journalist on February 12, 2016, aboard the plane to Havana. Photograph: Alessandro Di Meo/AFP via Getty Images
2016. Pope Francis wears a traditional Mexican sombrero hat received as a gift by a Mexican journalist on February 12, 2016, aboard the plane to Havana. Photograph: Alessandro Di Meo/AFP via Getty Images
2016. Pope Francis walks towards the main entrance with the lettering "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Sets You Free) at the former Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on July 29, 2016. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images
2016. Pope Francis walks towards the main entrance with the lettering "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Sets You Free) at the former Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on July 29, 2016. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images
2019. Pope Francis his greeted by nuns during his weekly general audience in the Vatican's Saint Peter square on September 25, 2019. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images
2019. Pope Francis his greeted by nuns during his weekly general audience in the Vatican's Saint Peter square on September 25, 2019. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images
2019. The faithful greet Pope Francis (Rear) and take photos of him with their mobile phone upon his arrival for the weekly general audience on January 9, 2019 at Paul-VI hall in the Vatican. Photograph: Andreas Solaro / AFP via Getty Images
2019. The faithful greet Pope Francis (Rear) and take photos of him with their mobile phone upon his arrival for the weekly general audience on January 9, 2019 at Paul-VI hall in the Vatican. Photograph: Andreas Solaro / AFP via Getty Images
2022. Pope Francis (C) interacts with a small child after the end of year Vespers and Te Deum prayer at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican on December 31, 2022. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images
2022. Pope Francis (C) interacts with a small child after the end of year Vespers and Te Deum prayer at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican on December 31, 2022. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images
2024. Pope Francis meets with a group of Mexican dressed as Aztecs (Tonatiuh) during a weekly general audience on August 7, 2024 at Paul-VI hall in The Vatican. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images
2024. Pope Francis meets with a group of Mexican dressed as Aztecs (Tonatiuh) during a weekly general audience on August 7, 2024 at Paul-VI hall in The Vatican. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images
2013. Pope Francis is silhouetted at the end of a private audience with the President of Equatorial Guinea during a private audience at the Vatican on October 25, 2013. Photograph: Max Rossi /AFP via Getty Images
2013. Pope Francis is silhouetted at the end of a private audience with the President of Equatorial Guinea during a private audience at the Vatican on October 25, 2013. Photograph: Max Rossi /AFP via Getty Images
2020. Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican on September 30, 2020. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte / AFP via Getty Images
2020. Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican on September 30, 2020. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte / AFP via Getty Images
2025. Pope Francis tours St Peter’s Square in his popemobile on Easter Sunday April 21st. Photo: Gregorio Borgia/AP
2025. Pope Francis tours St Peter’s Square in his popemobile on Easter Sunday April 21st. Photo: Gregorio Borgia/AP
2025. Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica during the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on April 20. The pope passed away later that night. Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP
2025. Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica during the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on April 20. The pope passed away later that night. Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP
2025. Parishioners pay their respects to Pope Francis in the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dublin. Photo: Nick Bradshaw
2025. Parishioners pay their respects to Pope Francis in the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street, Dublin. Photo: Nick Bradshaw
Patsy McGarry looks back at the papacy of the first Latin American pontiff.