Pope Francis Dies at 88, Hours After Meeting VP Vance

Pope Francis, the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, died at age 88 on April 21, 2025, less than 24 hours after meeting with Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday. The Argentine-born pontiff, who had led the Catholic Church since 2013, had been hospitalized for pneumonia for five weeks before being released on March 23, 2025. His death came just one day after his final official meeting with Vice President Vance at the Vatican, marking a tragic end to his 12-year papacy.

Francis had been a transformative but controversial figure, known for his emphasis on mercy, humility, and care for the poor and marginalized. His papacy focused heavily on social justice issues, environmental concerns, and pastoral approaches to doctrine. Despite health challenges in his final years—including respiratory issues, mobility problems, and the extended pneumonia hospitalization—Francis continued to fulfill his duties until the very end, receiving the U.S. Vice President in what would become his final official act.

The timing of Francis’s death, occurring so shortly after meeting with the Vice President of the Trump administration, raised questions about the transition period for the Catholic Church during a time of significant political tension in the United States. Francis had frequently spoken on issues of immigration, poverty, and human dignity—positions that sometimes placed him at odds with conservative political movements in America. His passing would set the stage for a conclave that would ultimately elect the first American Pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who would take the name Leo XIV.