Pope Francis
Pope Francis Dies at 88 on Easter Monday: A World Mourns a Symbolic Leader
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and the first Latin American pontiff, has died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, the Vatican announced on April 21st, 2025.
His passing marks the end of a deeply transformative era for the Catholic Church, one that embraced the marginalized, challenged the status quo, and reminded the faithful of the Church’s mission to serve the poor and the vulnerable.
A native of Argentina, Francis inspired millions with his humility, advocacy for social justice, and willingness to speak openly about issues long considered taboo within the Church.
He reached out to LGBTQ+ Catholics, pushed for greater environmental responsibility, and made the plight of migrants a central concern of his papacy. But not everyone welcomed his reformist vision—he often met resistance from traditionalists who viewed his changes as too radical.
In keeping with his wishes, Francis will not be buried beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, where many popes have rested for more than a century. Instead, his body will be placed on display in an open coffin at St. Peter’s before his burial at the Basilica of St. Mary Major—an ancient Roman church that held deep personal significance for him.
As the Church prepares to enter a time of mourning and transition, a conclave of cardinals will soon be convened in the Vatican to elect his successor in solemn seclusion. In the final years of his life, Francis faced numerous health challenges, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and a chronic intestinal condition. Often reliant on a wheelchair or walking aids, he continued his work with quiet strength, even as his physical health declined.
Pope Francis said that the act of opening a Holy Door at a prison is an invitation for prisoners to “look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of confidence and to unbrick and open five ‘sacred portals’ symbolising the doorway to salvation.
” This year, for the first time, one of the doors will be opened in a prison, as a ‘sign inviting prisoners to look to the future with hope’, the Pope said announcing this year’s ceremony.
2025 is one such year, so if you’ve got something on your mind, it could be a good time to confess. Pope Francis said he hoped the Jubilee would be ‘a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” of our salvation’.
This article breaks into three sections (3).
1. The Peoples Pope
2. The Pope opening the Portals on Christmas Day (Video)
3. Popes Final Message on Easter Sunday
1. The Peoples Pope
Pope Francis’ life was defined by service, simplicity, and compassion. From his early days as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires to his papal leadership in Rome, he was never far from the people. He refused to live in the traditional papal apartments, choosing instead a modest guesthouse. He washed the feet of prisoners and refugees, and constantly reminded the Church of its duty to care for those on the margins.
He challenged clericalism, called for economic systems that placed people above profit, and stressed the importance of dialogue in an increasingly divided world. He was a leader who listened deeply and spoke plainly. His legacy is one of courage, humility, and profound humanity.
2. Opening the Portals on Christmas Eve:
Christmas 2024 , he announced the unprecedented opening of a Holy Door inside a prison. “It is an invitation for prisoners to look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of confidence,” Francis said, describing the opening of five ‘sacred portals’ as a gesture toward redemption and renewal.
The moment the pope entered was captured in a powerful video that moved many around the world. However many who viewed the video saw fear and apprehension in the Popes face and eye’s as if he was terrified by the opening of these portals.
It is an invitation for prisoners to look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of confidence.
Pope Francis
Stay Tuned.
Come back for updates as we delve deeper into the Portals and the simultaneous “ORBS” and heaven versus hell phenomenon that was happening simultaneously at Christmas 2025 !
3. A Final Message on Easter Sunday
Just one day before his death, Pope Francis delivered what would become his final public message on Easter Sunday—his voice faint, but his spirit unwavering.
In his address, he urged the faithful to embrace peace, extend mercy, and never lose hope. “Christ is risen, and with Him rises our hope,” he said. It was a message that now takes on even deeper meaning, echoing through a grieving Church and across a world still in need of the compassion he championed.
As the Church prepares for the Holy Year of 2025, which Francis had hoped would be “a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus,” the faithful are left with both sorrow and inspiration. His death on Easter Monday—a day of resurrection and renewal—feels symbolic in itself. The man who opened doors for so many has now passed through his own.
