A day after meeting with Pope Francis to celebrate Easter Sunday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance — who converted to Catholicism six years ago — said His Holiness appeared to be in poor shape ahead of his passing early Monday morning.
"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill," Vance said in a statement following news of the Pope's death. "But I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul."
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The Vatican announced Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, died at 7:35 a.m. on Monday at the age of 88, due to a cerebral stroke leading to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
His death comes shortly after he was released from a five-week hospital stay related to life-threatening complications from pneumonia in both of his lungs. It wasn't, however, the first health crisis Francis had faced.
His Holiness had part of a lung removed as a young man. Francis also had over a foot of his large intestine removed in 2021 to address a colon issue, and then had another surgery in 2023 on his abdomen to remove scar tissue on his intestine and to repair a hernia.
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In his later life, Francis often used a wheelchair, cane or walker to move around and recently fell twice, injuring his chin and arm. The Vatican in its announcement of Francis' passing did not give a cause of death.
"Francis returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber. "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."
