https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-dies-on-easter-monday-aged-88.html

Vatican has made the announcement.

Quote:

---

At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

---

May the Holy Father have peaceful rest

Rest in peace Holy Father.
Did not agree with most of his views and a pray for him still.

Eternal rest...

Ave Maria...

Rest in peace papa, 1 billion strong are praying for your soul

Assuming the Pope is a genuine believer in Christ, what could be more marvelous than now being with our Lord? I don't understand the sorrow; it should be a celebration of a brother now being forever with Christ.

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Assuming the Pope is a genuine believer in Christ, what could be more marvelous than now being with our Lord? I don't understand the sorrow; it should be a celebration of a brother now being forever with Christ.

---

While yes that is true, death is still sad.

Interesting response from Anne Barnhardt, who I think is a pretty 'serious' Roman Catholic and I guess did not really waive a big fan club sign about the just-departed Pope.

Quote:

---

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Heavenly Father, Thy glory is in Thy saints. We praise Thy glory in the life of the admirable St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church. Her whole life was a noble sacrifice inspired by an ardent love of Jesus, Thy unblemished Lamb.

In troubled times she strenuously upheld the rights of His beloved spouse, The Church. Father, honor her merits and hear her prayers for each of us, and for Thy Holy Catholic Church.

Help us to pass unscathed through the corruption of this world, and to remain unshakably faithful to Thy Holy Catholic Church in word, deed, and example.

Help us always to see in the Petrine See and true Vicar of Christ an anchor in the storms of life, and a beacon of light to the harbor of Thy Love, in this dark night of Thy times and men's souls.
Grant also to each of us our special petition:

For the restoration of the Papacy from twelve years of usurpation by an Antipope and 28 months of vacancy since the death of Pope Benedict XVI; for a true, valid, virile, deeply Catholic Pope; that we receive the gift of Counsel so that we may quickly and accurately discern the truth of current events and react rightly, and above all, that God's will be done.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, in the unity of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.

St. Peter, pray for us.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

---

God rest his soul. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the Cardinals and watch over His Church in this unexpected hour of sadness in our joyful Easter celebrations.

Ann Barnhardt... yeah.... well... She's, well... interesting. She's been on "Francis is not the pope" tear for quite some time. I tried to listen to her arguments once (to try and understand the perspective), but it just felt so condescending and "it's just obvious, duh!" that I couldn't listen all the way through.

Just pray for the Pope's happy repose and that he died in friendship with our Blessed Lord.

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Assuming the Pope is a genuine believer in Christ, what could be more marvelous than now being with our Lord? I don't understand the sorrow; it should be a celebration of a brother now being forever with Christ.

---

I mean, even Christ wept and "groaned in the spirit" at the death of Lazarus and seeing Mary weeping.

Quote:

---

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?"
They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

35 Jesus wept.

---

Prayers to all my Catholic friends and those Catholic posters on here.

Prayers for the Pope and all my Catholic friends and brothers/sisters in Christ.

Requiescat in pace.

Christus rex est.

PacifistAg said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Assuming the Pope is a genuine believer in Christ, what could be more marvelous than now being with our Lord? I don't understand the sorrow; it should be a celebration of a brother now being forever with Christ.

---

I mean, even Christ wept and "groaned in the spirit" at the death of Lazarus and seeing Mary weeping.

Quote:

---

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?"
They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

35 Jesus wept.

---

Prayers to all my Catholic friends and those Catholic posters on here.

---

Lazarus was a very close friend of Jesus. Not trying to belittle the Pope's role in those who submit to his authority.

Seemed like he was enduring a season of great suffering as he has been in and out of intensive hospital care. Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

---

Certainly, this is our hope for him. But we aren't certain, as we don't know his interior disposition. Which is why we pray.

I think that God rewarded him with one more Easter, and that gives us all consolation. I know nothing about his prayer life, but I could see him saying some version of this in his normal routine.

"To thee, O Mother of my soul, I consecrate the last three hours of my life. When death cuts the thread of my life , give my soul to Jesus and say "I love it". This alone will be enough to obtain for me the benediction of my God and the happiness of seeing thee for all eternity."

Howdy, it is me! said:

---

747Ag said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

---

Certainly, this is our hope for him. But we aren't certain, as we don't know his interior disposition. Which is why we pray.

---

May I ask what you are praying for now?

Wait, as I type this I'm realizing I'm forgetting we are talking about a Catholic. There is a chance, after death, he could still be saved if he had not been already, right?

I don't really know much about purgatory and such things.

---

Right now we're praying that God's will be done, and asking God for Mercy. There is no chance after death that he could have been saved if he had not already; BUT since God is outside of time, our prayers now are efficacious in what would be considered our past.

I routinely pray for Catholic saints who have died painful deaths that it might be God's will that their pain was mitigated during their time of trial.

If he is saved, we believe he still has sins attached to his soul, that will be scoured off (purged) in his ascent to heaven, so we pray that that purging be "shorter" or "easier" even though those are words that don't apply to a timeless realm; but are the best visualization.

RAB91 said:

---

I think that God rewarded him with one more Easter, and that gives us all consolation. I know nothing about his prayer life, but I could see him saying some version of this in his normal routine.

"To thee, O Mother of my soul, I consecrate the last three hours of my life. When death cuts the thread of my life , give my soul to Jesus and say "I love it". This alone will be enough to obtain for me the benediction of my God and the happiness of seeing thee for all eternity."

---

I always have a cinematic reel playing in my head when I consider the death of a lifelong Catholic, and it brings me great comfort.

The Pope/my father/a catholic celebrity laying in bed, literally at the point where they are about to transition to the next life; at that moment, every Ave Maria they've ever said, or every Ave Maria that they've ever been the intention of comes to fruition "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death". The holy mother's gaze clicks over to that person, and she starts beseeching her son for mercy, I can think of nothing more comforting.

Lord have mercy.

747Ag said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

---

Certainly, this is our hope for him. But we aren't certain, as we don't know his interior disposition. Which is why we pray.

---

Wouldn't that be a pretty big oversight be the cardinals who picked him? Don't they do some due diligence, interview him, hear his testimony? As "holy father," spiritual leader of billions, I would think that "Christian" would be a box they check prior to voting.

I pray for the cardinals as they choose the next pope. Specifically, someone like JP2.

NoahAg said:

---

747Ag said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

---

Certainly, this is our hope for him. But we aren't certain, as we don't know his interior disposition. Which is why we pray.

---

Wouldn't that be a pretty big oversight be the cardinals who picked him? Don't they do some due diligence, interview him, hear his testimony? As "holy father," spiritual leader of billions, I would think that "Christian" would be a box they check prior to voting.

I pray for the cardinals as they choose the next pope. Specifically, someone like JP2.

---

Well, do we know what twists and turns lie ahead for someone 10+ years in advance? Can someone display piety exteriorly and yet be faithless interiorly? We've had scoundrels as popes before. We've had saints as well. Are all of the cardinals saintly men? Are there scoundrels within the college of cardinals? It's rather more complex than how you describe it. There's politicking. There's scandal. There are good and holy men. All sinners.

NoahAg said:

---

747Ag said:

---

10andBOUNCE said:

---

Now he is with the great Healer in Heaven.

---

Certainly, this is our hope for him. But we aren't certain, as we don't know his interior disposition. Which is why we pray.

---

Wouldn't that be a pretty big oversight be the cardinals who picked him? Don't they do some due diligence, interview him, hear his testimony? As "holy father," spiritual leader of billions, I would think that "Christian" would be a box they check prior to voting.

I pray for the cardinals as they choose the next pope. Specifically, someone like JP2.

---

you can go troll on the general board.

AtticusMatlock said:

---

The Vatican has announced the cause of death was a stroke followed by irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.

They have also published his requests for burial. A simple, in ground tomb in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, no unnecessary ornamentation.
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-spiritual-will-and-testament.html

---

There are many many unkind yet true things that could be said about the Pope Francis papacy; however what CANNOT be said is that he preached humility and poverty while embracing all of the luxurious trappings of his office. I also give him a huge amount of respect for performing his duties in the "fighting chair" so to speak right up until the moment he died.

Pope Francis lived and shared Christ's message of love for his fellow man and of humility.