Roman Catholic Church head Pope Francis dies at 88

Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, has died on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church, Farrell said in the announcement.

On Easter Sunday morning, Pope Francis had a brief private meeting with the Vice President of the United States of America, J D Vance, The Holy See’s Press Office had detailed about the interaction that lasted a few minutes.

Vance was travelling to Italy with his family and visited the Secretariat of State before travelling to India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the past admired Pope’s commitment to serve people and had also extended an invitation to Pope Francis to visit India at an early date.

“Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India,” the Prime Minister posted on X after meeting the Pope at the G7 Summit’s Outreach Session in Borgo Egnazia, last year.

In October 2021, the Pope received PM Modi during a private audience at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, which was also the first meeting between an Indian Prime Minister and the Pope in more than two decades.

In June 2000, late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had last visited the Vatican and met the then Pope, John Paul II.

India and The Holy See have friendly relations dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948. India is also home to the second-largest Catholic population in Asia.

With inputs from agencies