Pope Francis Dies at 88 After Suffering Stroke, Heart Failure

The pontiff leaves behind a legacy of attempted reform that was not without controversy.

Pope Francis arrives for a visit to St. Theresa's Home, a Catholic nursing home, in Singapore on Sept. 13, 2024. Tiziana Fabi/AFP

Pope Francis, the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to come from Latin America, and the first to come from the Western Hemisphere, has died.

Pope Francis—born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and formerly the cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina—died on April 21 at 7:35 a.m. after suffering a stroke, falling into a coma, and suffering irreversible heart failure. He was 88 years old.