By: Richard L. Smith
According to information released at 4 a.m. (EST) Monday morning by the Associated Press, Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of more than 1.3 billion Roman Catholics worldwide, has died at the age of 88 following a prolonged and complex health battle. He died one day after Easter.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, officially announced the pope’s death after he succumbed to complications related to double pneumonia. 
He had been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after an earlier bout of bronchitis worsened in recent days.
Just a day before his passing, Pope Francis celebrated Mass addressing millions with a message of unity, peace, and compassion.
His outreach, even while ill, highlighted his lifelong commitment to ministering to Catholics around the world.
Elected in 2013 as the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the papacy, Francis was widely regarded for his humility, progressive stances on social issues, and efforts to modernize the Church.
Further details regarding funeral arrangements and the selection of his successor are expected in the coming days as the Vatican enters a period of mourning and transition.