Pope Francis dies at 88 in Vatican City on day after Easter Sunday festivities

Pope Francis, a reformer from Argentina who rattled the Catholic Church’s traditionalists and inspired progressives by reaching out to gay people and championing the rights of immigrants and the poor, has died, the Vatican announced Monday.

Pope Francis, a reformer from Argentina who rattled the Catholic Church’s traditionalists and inspired progressives by reaching out to gay people and championing the rights of immigrants and the poor, has died, the Vatican announced Monday.

He was 88.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a statement released by the Vatican during the early hours of Monday.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized,” Farrell added.

Pilgrims who have made the trip to the Vatican on Easter Monday, some to express love and support for the pontiff, were only slowly learning about the news of his death. Some arrived unaware, others prayed somberly as the news sank in.