The first-ever Iraq visit by a pope could''ve ended disastrously, but a foiled assassination plot ended up enabling Pope Francis to write about the event in retrospect.

"Almost everyone advised me against that trip," he wrote.

A would-be suicide bomber strapped with explosives was headed toward the city with the intent of detonating herself, according to Politico. The second, the pontiff said, was a van containing explosives that had charged toward the same area with the "same intent."

Read the full article about Pope Francis by Taylor Penley

A picture of Pope Francis is displayed during a rosary for him at Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, following the death of the pontiff, in Rome, Italy, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Pope Francis'' will, which was released after his death on Monday, outlined his desire to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica in Rome.

One of Romes four papal basilicas, seven popes are buried at Santa Maria Maggiore (which translates to Saint Mary Major in English).

Francis will be the first pope buried outside the Vatican in over 100 years, and the first Pope buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in over 350 years.

Fox News'' Emily Reynolds contributed to this report.

One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

The mass ” from the Latin word "missa," which means "sacrifice" ” consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics. 

Read the full article about Pope Francis by Peter Pinedo

An image of Pope Francis is placed between candles following his death, in St. Peter''s square, at the Vatican, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

On Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced his intentions to attend Pope Francis'' funeral in Rome.

The president announced the plans in a brief Truth Social post.

Flags are seen at half-mast next to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart after the death of Pope Francis was announced by the Vatican, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., April 21, 2025. (CREDIT: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

U.S. presidents mourned the death of Pope Francis, who served as the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years, on Monday following the Vaticans announcement of the popes passing. 

"Rest in Peace Pope Francis!" President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday. "May God Bless him and all who loved him!"

Read the full article about Pope Francis by Diana Stancy

Prince William is set to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, a royal expert tells Fox News Digital. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images; TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Prince William will attend the funeral services for Pope Francis in representation of the royal family, royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. 

Additionally, says Turner, "Flags are being lowered at half-mast on Royal residences and during the Changing of the Guard daily ceremonies, sombre music will be played."

Read the full article about Prince William by Christina Dugan Ramirez

Faithful gather for a rosary prayer for the late Pope Francis, in St. Peter''s Square at the Vatican, Monday April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The City of New Orleans issued a heartfelt message about the death of Pope Francis on Monday, calling the deceased pontiff a "guiding light for millions, embodying the values of love, mercy, and inclusion."

"On behalf of the City of New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell extends her heartfelt condolences to the family of Pope Francis, the Vatican, and the global Catholic community on the passing of His Holiness," the statement read.

"It is our prayer that he now rests in God''s eternal peace."

Vatican officials released Pope Francis'' will on Monday evening, hours after the pontiff passed away of a stroke.

The will was written in June 2022 and explains the pope''s preferences for his burial.

"I have always entrusted my life and the priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest waiting for the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore," the document continues.

Francis said that he wanted his "last earthly journey to end in this ancient sanctuary."

The will also asks for Francis to be buried in the earth, "without particular decorum and with the only inscription: Franciscus."

Fox News'' Thomas Ferraro contributed to this update.

Nuns pray at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on April 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Seventy-eight percent of American Catholics expressed a favorable opinion of the pope in a Pew Poll conducted in early February, shortly before Francis'' lengthy hospitalization for a case of double pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pope died on Monday. Francis'' popularity among American Catholics was constant throughout his dozen-year tenure as pope, with his favorability peaking at 90% in a February 2015 poll by Pew.

Read the full article about Pope Francis by Paul Steinhauser

Pope Francis waves to the faitful during his weekly General Audience at the Paul VI Hall on February 05, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke, according to an update by Vatican officials on Monday afternoon.

Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vaticans health department, said that the stroke put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.

Arcangeli added that Francis also suffered from episodes of "respiratory insufficiency," as well as his recent bilateral pneumonia. The pope also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

The Associated Press contributed to this update.

Faith leaders from across the country are sharing reaction and insight with Fox News Digital as the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on Monday, April 21.

Dr. Alex McFarland, youth, religion and culture expert, is the author of more than 20 books. He told Fox News Digital on Monday morning, "Christians everywhere, regardless of affiliation, should extend loving condolences and prayers for Catholic believers who are mourning the loss of Pope Francis. Belief in the Triune God and in Christ, the Son, unites us (I John 5:1), along with so many other core truths of the Christian faith. Let us unite in prayer for the Catholic Church to be clearly led at this time by Gods Holy Spirit and His Word."

"This same spirit characterized his work on behalf of the persecuted and oppressed around the world."

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, shared with Fox News Digital, "Catholics around the globe are mourning the death of Pope Francis. He touched millions of the faithful, including non-Catholics and non-believers. When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed the role of Pope Francis, his down-to-earth style captured the plaudits of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It was his unscripted, and often spontaneous, manner of speaking that made him so authentic and appealing."

Fillipo Monteforte/AFP via Getty

After the death of a pope, the College of Cardinals is responsible for gathering at the Sistine Chapel and electing a new sovereign of the Vatican and Roman Catholic Church.

In December 2024, Pope Francis installed 21 new cardinals at a consistory. In 1970, Pope Paul VI set a 120-man limit to a papal conclave, a meeting or election of the College of Cardinals.

Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Mykola Bychok, 44, was revealed as one of Pope Francis'' cardinal picks in October 2024. The decision received backlash as Major Archbishop of Kyiv, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, was passed over for red cassocks and headgear. Shevchuk was critical of Pope Francis'' reaction to the ongoing war with Russia, though Pope Francis accepted an invitation from the archbishop to visit Ukraine in 2025.

Pope Francis most recently maintained a prominent Italian presence in the college installing five new cardinals from across Italy.

Italian prelate Pietro Parolin, 70, is a senior cardinal bishop, a high ranking position in the College of Cardinals. Parolin is the highest ranking member of the college under the age of 80. Parolin is considered a "moderate" cardinal in the church. 

The two most senior cardinal bishops are Italian prelate Giovanni Battista Re, 91, and Argentine prelate Leonardo Sandri, 81. 

Thai prelate Michael Michai Kitbunchu, 96, Asia''s oldest cardinal, is the most senior ranking cardinal priest.

During his papacy, Pope Francis made efforts to be more inclusive of Catholics in the LGBTQ+ community and remarked on same-sex civil unions.

Italian prelate Matteo Zuppi is pro-LGBTQ and made headlines when he was accused of holding a mass to bless a same-sex couple. He is floated as a possible replacement to Pope Francis.

Former President Bill Clinton released a statement Monday saying Hillary and I mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and celebrate his remarkable life and legacy: promoting peace, economic inclusion, and social justice, and fighting climate change, particularly its threat to the lives and livelihoods of the worlds poorest citizens. 

We join with countless millions of people around the world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, in prayers of gratitude for a life well lived, rooted in faith, filled with energy and purpose, and dedicated to reconciliation and cooperation, he added. 

Pope Francis has rarely clashed publicly with world leaders since being elected to the Catholic Churchs top job in 2013, instead taking a diplomatic approach to world affairs.

The Pope has met with many world leaders in recent years, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and King Charles III, the latter of whom visited Francis at the Vatican.

When it comes to American presidents, the Pope has at times had a rocky relationship. In a 2022 interview, the pope described former President Bidens stance on abortion rights an incoherence, given Bidens Catholic faith.

Those clashes with Trump continued into Trumps second stint in the Oval Office, with Francis recently speaking out against Trumps border and immigration enforcement efforts.

Fox News'' Michael Lee contributed reporting.

An extremely diverse group of Catholic pontiffs have headed the Church through periods of ostracism, growth, schism and upheaval.

Peter was the first pope, serving for 34 years. Anointed by Jesus to lead his church, Peter spread his word before being crucified under Emperor Nero.

Evaristus, the first non-Italian pope, was elected in 96 AD. The Grecian Evaristus Jewish father was from Bethlehem.

Elected during the Renaissance in 1471, Pope Sixtus IV elevated the Churchs stature by overseeing construction projects in Rome, employing renowned artists in the construction of the Sistine Chapel, named after Sixtus himself.

The shortest-tenured pope, Urban VII, reigned just 13 days before his death from malaria in 1590. During his brief reign, he proposed anti-nepotism and health measures in Rome.

The oldest living pontiff, Leo XIII died in 1903 at 93 years old after a 25-year tenure.

Pope John XXIII responded to increased secularism by convening the Second Vatican Council in 1962. Spawning enduring and continuing change, the council increased outreach outside the Church and allowed masses to be offered in local languages.

Pope Benedict XVI, was the first pope to resign in some 600 years, in 2013 at 85. During his tenure, Benedict embraced technology and addressed priests abuse of children.

Fox News'' Beth Bailey contributed reporting.

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

The named camerlengo runs the Vatican in case of a pope''s death or resignation until a new one is elected.

When a pope is anticipated dead, the camerlengo formally determines the pope''s passing by calling out his baptismal name three times. If there is no response, the pope is pronounced dead. 

Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell -- a former Dallas, Texas, bishop -- is the present camerlengo. He was appointed by Pope Francis in 2019.

Word that the pope has passed moves through official channels to notify the College of Cardinals, the vicar of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, and then the public.

Bishop Robert Barron, a popular Catholic commentator and author, reacted to the death Pope Francis, who had led the Church for 12 years. (Fox News Digital)

Bishop Robert Barron, a widely read Catholic commentator and author, paid tribute to Pope Francis for a papacy marked by "mercy and evangelization" after the news of his death on Monday.

Barron, who leads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota and is the founder of the popular Catholic ministerial organization Word on Fire, praised Francis for recognizing the "destructiveness of sin."

"I had the pleasure of meeting with Pope Francis several times during his papacy," Bishop Barron continued. "On the occasions when he and I spoke, his comments would burn their way into my heart and mind. During a meeting with my fellow bishops, he reminded us that the first task of a bishop is to pray." 

Roman pontiff Mercurius was the first pope to adopt a new name after ascending to his position in 533 AD. Feeling that he would dishonor his office with his pagan name, Mercurius became Pope John II, according to St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church.

In 1099, Pope Sergius IV, born Peter, chose his name out of respect for the first pope of the Catholic Church, St. Peter. No subsequent pope has named himself Peter.

Fox News'' Beth Bailey contributed to this report.

If there is any one thing that can be agreed upon by all parties about Pope Franciss pontificate it is that it was disruptive and ambiguous on several levels. Many will rush to make an assessment of his legacy but this is premature, if not injurious. After all, we are still assessing past pontificates -- never mind the broader legacy of Vatican II -- and their implications for the life of the Church.

Despite the widespread and immediate attention given papal homilies, allocutions, documents, and international visits, it is helpful to remember that, until recently, Catholics rarely heard from the pope directly.

Many people today see the Catholic Church as largely anachronistic, closed, and harsh -- not at all empathetic to the real-life problems people face. Pope Francis seemed bent on deconstructing that perception by presenting a merciful, open, and maternal face of the Church. He might say that it is not enough to teach people what the Catechism says, we must inspire them to live it.

As the Church prepares for its next chapter, the lessons of Pope Francis''s papacy will undoubtedly shape its future trajectory. His legacy remains a work in progress, a testament to the evolving nature of the papal role in the modern world.

L''Osservatore Romano/Pool photo via AP, File

Before Pope Francis was elected by the College of Cardinals in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger, served the Roman Catholic Church from 2005-2013.

During his enrollment in the seminary, Ratzinger was drafted into World War II, putting his theology teachings on hold. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war by Americans for several months. Upon his release, he left the military and was ordained in 1951 alongside his brother. 

Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005 and, during his papacy at the Vatican, preached a message of God''s eternal love, encouraged Catholics to remain faithful to God and implored the presence of love, joy and truth in life.

He died at 95 years old in 2022.

Vice President JD Vance was one of the last visitors of Pope Francis before the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church died at age 88. 

Vance met with Francis briefly on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he''d been living since being released from Rome''s Gemmlli Hospital on March 23. 

The pope had been hospitalized for five weeks after surviving a severe case of pneumonia. 

"I know you have not been feeling great, but its good to see you in better health," Vance told the pope. "Thank you for seeing me."

Vance acknowledged news of the pope''s death early Monday. 

The first Jubilee year according to a Vatican fact sheet was proclaimed in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII. Some two million pilgrims were said to have visited Rome during that year.

On December 24, 2024, Pope Francis, known as The Vicar of Christ on Earth, opened the Holy Doors of St. Peters Basilica to Catholic pilgrims worldwide as a symbol of grace and forgiveness. Italy is expecting over 32 million tourists to visit the country this year as pilgrims come to mark the Jubilee.

Fox News'' Jacqliene Mangini contributed reporting.

Angelina Jolie met Pope Francis in January 2015. (Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images)

Over the course of his 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, connected with many of Hollywood''s elite.

"Titanic" star Leonardo DiCaprio met with the pope for a quick conversation while filming the documentary "Before the Flood" for National Geographic in 2016.

While at the event, Clooney was recognized for his work with the Pope''s arts foundation, Scholas Occurrentes, and was presented with the Olive Medal of Peace.

Angelina Jolie met Pope Francis in January 2015, when she was invited to a private screening of her film, "Unbroken," held at the Vatican. 

Mark Wahlberg met Pope Francis when the leader of the Catholic Church visited the United States in 2015.

As part of his trip, he attended the Festival of Families in Philadelphia, where Wahlberg, an outspoken Catholic, acted as the master of ceremonies for the evening. 

Pope Francis shakes hands with President Donald Trump during a private audience at the Vatican in May 2017. (Evan Vucci/AFP via Getty Images)

The declaration comes after Trump wrote on Truth Social: Rest in Peace, Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!

"I just signed an executive order putting the flags of our country, all of them, all federal flags and state flags at half mast in honor of Pope Francis," Trump said Monday. "He was a good man, worked hard. He loved the world. And it''s an honor to do that."

I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations, Trump added.

Trump, appearing Monday at the White House''s annual Easter Egg Roll event, also said "Easter is special.

U.S. President Donald Trump and various other world leaders issued comments responding to the news that Pope Francis passed away on Monday.

"Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!" Trump declared in a post on Truth Social.

Vice President JD Vance, who had just met with the pontiff on Easter Sunday, noted that he was happy to see the pope, who was clearly quite ill.

The White House X account issued a post that read, "Rest in Peace, Pope Francis."

Pope Francis attends the recitation of the Rosary at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore on May 4, 2013 in Rome, Italy. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Just a few days after becoming pope, Pope Francis revealed his burial wishes upon his death.

In March 2013, Pope Francis was elected during a conclave by the Cardinals of the Catholic Church following Pope Benedict XVIs decision to step down amid health concerns.

Pope Francis selected the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore as his final resting place.

"It has some significance for his grandparents," DeAnda told Fox News Digital. "His grandparents were the ones who immigrated to Argentina with his dad and, I believe that they lived close to and visited that Basilica."

"That has been his favorite place to visit," DeAnda also said. "It''s a place that he goes to every time that he is going on a trip. He goes there to pray before he goes on a trip."

Though controversial, one of the least contentious 2025 Oscar-nominated films was "Conclave," an Edward Berger-directed mystery thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini and Stanley Tucci, which brings to life the political and religious traditions regarding how Catholic cardinals elect a new pope.

The conclave will gather again in actuality as the Vatican revealed that Pope Francis, 88, the leader of the Catholic Church, passed on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter Sunday.

The film closely follows the novel of the same name written by author Robert Harris.

"That was fairly accurate," Dennis Doyle, professor emeritus at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital. Doyle taught at the Catholic research university for 40 years.

"There were just a few differences, like some of the Latin wasn''t exact, the carpet was red in the movie and its beige in real life," Doyle said. "The seating arrangements were done very dramatically in the movie. They''re not exactly that way in real life. And even the way the voting was done was not exactly the same."

A tribute to Pope Francis is seen in St. Patrick''s Cathedral in New York City on Monday, April 21. (Jacqliene Mangini/Fox News Digital)

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Monday that the Bishops of the United States unite in prayer with Catholics here and around the world and all people of good will in gratitude for the life of our revered shepherd. 

We mourn the passing of our Holy Father and beg Saint Joseph to accompany him. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, Broglio said in a statement following the death of Pope Francis. 

A death verification ceremony for Pope Francis will happen at 2 p.m. ET today in the chapel adjacent to his Saint Martha residence inside Vatican City.   

The deceased pope will be dressed in his simple white cassock and red vestments, then placed in a simple wooden coffin. This will be carried in procession to St. Peters Basilica, where the public viewing will take place for the next three days. 

A Vatican spokesperson said Monday that the transfer of the body of the Holy Father to the Vatican Basilica for the homage of all the faithful could take place on Wednesday morning. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Trump and the pope have tussled over immigration policies and the environment across the years, including Pope Francis taking swipes at political leaders who were working to build border walls in their country. 

Trump was raised Presbyterian and is married to Catholic first lady Melania Trump. 

The comment was followed by a 2016 remark that anyone who builds a wall to keep migrants out of a country was "not a Christian." Trump responded at the time: For a religious leader to question a persons faith is disgraceful.

Pope Francis again took issue with Trumps immigration policies this year, arguing in a letter that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and "will end badly."

"I''ve got harsh words for the pope: I say this as a lifelong Catholic. He ought to focus on his work and leave enforcement to us. He''s got a wall around the Vatican, does he not?" Homan told Fox News in February. 

Fox News'' Emma Colton contributed reporting.

Through the years, the United Nations was greatly inspired by his commitment to the goals and ideals of our organization -- a message I conveyed in my meetings with him as Secretary-General, Guterres said in a statement. 

In his historic 2015 visit to United Nations headquarters, he spoke of the organizations ideal of a united human family. Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is, at heart, a deeply moral mission and responsibility that belongs to every person, Guterres added. 

Pope Francis and former President Barack Obama are seen at the White House in September 2015. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Former President Barack Obama described Pope Francis as the rare leader who made us want to be better people.  

In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound -- embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners -- he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another, Obama said Monday following Francis death. 

Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world -- Catholic and non-Catholic alike -- who drew strength and inspiration from the Popes example, Obama added. May we continue to heed his call to never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope. 

While any male Catholic could in theory be chosen to sit in the papal seat, historically, succeeding popes have been selected from the Sacred College of Cardinals since 1378, according to Religion News Service.  

Currently, there are 252 cardinals in the body who have been selected by the Holy Father to serve as his advisors and assistants.   

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, of Italy, is the Vaticans secretary of state and the highest-ranking diplomat in the Holy See, which is the governing body of the Catholic Church. He is believed to be among the cardinals most likely to be elected to the top position. 

Cardinals of the Catholic Church attend the election conclave in the Sistine Chapel on April 18, 2005, at the Vatican. (Arturo Mari/Vatican Pool/ Getty Images)

In practice, since at least 1276, the conclave gathers the churchs top bishops “ called the College of Cardinals “ from around the globe. Though there are more than 240 cardinals currently, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave and the number of cardinal electors is limited to 120.  

Nearly all prefects of Vatican offices lose their jobs when a pope dies, but a few stay on, including the foreign minister and the master of liturgical ceremonies, who play a key role in assembling the conclave.

There is also an emphasis on choosing a pope quickly to lessen the amount of time the church spends without a leader. The cardinals cast their first vote the day the conclave begins. They then cast votes at least twice every day after “ in the morning and evening “ until a pope is selected.

Fox News Digital''s Pilar Arias contributed to this report.

I spoke to the vice president''s team this morning, and they expressed how excited and grateful they were for the opportunity to have met with the pope just yesterday. And of course, we know the pope has gone to be with the Lord this morning, Leavitt said. 

And I spoke to the president about that as well and he has put out a statement to say, God bless the pope and all those who loved him. He touched millions of lives throughout his tenure as the head of the Catholic Church," Leavitt added. And so it''s a solemn day for Catholics around the world, and we are praying for all those who love the pope and believed in him.

Dr. Marc Siegel, the senior medical analyst for Fox News, told FOX & Friends on Monday that Pope Francis may have suffered a respiratory failure event this morning prior to his death. 

There are other things that occur. There are other things that may have occurred. When you have been sedentary for over a month like that and then you go home and you try to get up and you try to engage in therapy, a lot of things can go wrong at that point, Siegel also said, referencing Francis recent hospital stay during which he had battled pneumonia for weeks. 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said Monday that you couldnt choreograph the death of Pope Francis any better. 

The last time we saw him, Easter Sunday, the last words, a blessed Easter, as he gave us his blessing. The day that we believe Jesus rose from the dead and shares that victory with us, in which we trust by divine mercy, Pope Francis now shares an abundant “ you couldnt have choreographed it better, Dolan added. 

And we thank him for that, in the way he lived and the way he died, he was a great teacher in which the pope is always called to be, he also said. 

FILE - President Donald Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican, May 24, 2017. (REUTERS/Evan Vucci/Pool)

May God Bless him and all who loved him! Trump added. 

Trump met the pope in 2017 at the Vatican, during the president''s first term in office. Trump was joined by his wife Melania, his daughter Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner and former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Trump shook the pope''s hands and said, "Thank you so much."

Pope Francis meets with then-President Joe Biden during the G7 Leaders Summit on June 14, 2024 in Fasano, Italy. (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Former President Joe Biden said Monday following the death of Pope Francis that He was the People''s Pope -- a light of faith, hope, and love. 

For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths, Biden continued. 

He commanded us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He advocated for the voiceless and powerless. He made all feel welcome and seen by the Church. He promoted equity and an end to poverty and suffering across the globe, Biden also said. 

Pope Francis waves from the Popemobile during World Youth Day celebrations on July 26, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Francis died Monday at age 88, the Vatican announced.

While much of the tradition associated with papal funerals “ which dates all the way back to ancient Rome “ will continue, matters such as Francis'' coffin structure, his death verification process, burial location, and how he will be viewed and referred to during the ceremony, will be different from how it has been in the past.

Francis'' move to change these papal funeral traditions, some of which date all the way back to ancient Rome, stemmed from a desire to emphasize that the pope is "that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world," according to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the head of papal liturgical ceremonies who reportedly worked with Francis to help make the revisions. The rewrite was also preceded by the unusual circumstances of Pope Benedict XVI''s funeral, which deviated from traditional papal funerals on account of the fact he was a retired pope rather than a reigning one.

Osservatore Romano via AP, File

During the conclave, Cardinals eligible to vote are locked inside the famous chapel where they will take secret votes to determine who is next in line for the papacy. Up to four votes per day can take place, and the voting does not stop until a majority of Cardinals select who is next up. 

The last conclave to run over a month was in the 18th century. The longest conclave ever, during the 13th century lasted almost three years before Pope Gregory X was selected. 

Fox News'' Alec Schemmel contributed reporting.

Pope Francis impacted the Catholic Church in multiple ways during his 12 years serving in the role.

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis canonized nearly 1,000 people. This total, however, includes the "Martyrs of Otranto," a group of 813 people who were killed on Aug. 14, 1480, in Otranto, Italy.

In August 2018, Pope Francis issued a letter revising the Catechism of the Catholic Church''s teaching on the death penalty.

"Pope Francis continued the recent tradition of previous popes, including from St. John Paul II, by escalating Catholic opposition to modern-day use of the death penalty," Charles Camosy, professor of bioethics at the Creighton University School of Medicine, had told Fox News Digital. 

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo celebrates a Mass organized at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa on Feb. 9 by Catholic students praying for peace and for those affected by the war in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Hardy Bope/AFP via Getty Images)

"As in previous years, increases (in the number of Catholics) were registered above all in Africa," the Vatican said in October 2024, stating that 7,271,000 Africans joined the faith last year.

Fox News Digital understands there are three leading African papabile “ "pope-able" candidates - Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, from Ghana, and Guineas Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is viewed as an outsider due his being 80-years-old.

He added, "The Church has been growing at an amazingly rapid rate over the past few decades in the face of government opposition in many African nations, overt persecution of Christians and Catholics in many of the same nations, and violent opposition. Further, the leaders who have been appointed bishops and raised up as cardinals are generally highly educated, often in the West."

Bells tolled Monday in St. Peter''s Square at the Vatican to mark Pope Francis'' death.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet Pope Francis during day three of their state visit to The Republic of Italy on April 9 in Vatican City. (Vatican via Getty Images)

King Charles III said Monday that My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis and Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry. 

His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world, he continued. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many. 

Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after the death of Pope Francis on Monday that the pontiff''s "memory and example of his compassion will long endure."

"Pope Francis'' compassion embraced all humanity," he continued. "He urged us to remember all we hold in common and asked the world to hear the ''cry of the earth'', our common home. He invited world leaders to join him and: ''emerge from the dark night of wars and environmental devastation in order to turn our common future into the dawn of a new and radiant day.''"

Albanese said Francis, the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, was "close to the people of Australia," adding that for Australian Catholics, he "was a devoted champion and loving father."

The prime minister said as people around the world mourn Francis'' death, "we celebrate the gift of his life and presence among us and we hold on to the resonant truth of Pope Francis'' final Easter homily."

"The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness; the promise of new life and a world finally set free awaits us; and a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise, for Christ has triumphed over death," Francis had said.

"May God welcome Pope Francis to eternal life," Albanese concluded.

Pope Francis, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Begoglio, was elected in March 2013 to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, becoming the first non-European pope in over 1,000 years.

He moved to reform the Catholic Church in multiple ways, including overhauling the Vatican Bank and tackling the coverup of sexual abuse. He also presented a softened approach to issues like divorced and remarried Catholics, and homosexuality.

In 2015, he traveled to the United States, visiting Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia.

He has generally been seen as more progressive than his predecessors, although he has not shifted Church teaching on issues like abortion and women priests as some liberals would have hoped. But he has also clashed with conservatives on issues including the Tridentine Mass, the acceptance of divorced and remarried Catholics for Holy Communion and his criticism of capitalism.

Fox News'' Adam Shaw and Cameron Cawthorne contributed to this report.

Vice President JD Vance, who had just met with Pope Francis on Sunday, issued a post on X following the pontiff''s passing.

"I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him," Vance noted.

"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But Ill 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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"Pope Francis has returned to the house of the Father," Meloni said on X. "This news saddens us deeply, because a great man and a great pastor have left us."

"I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering," she continued. "In the meditations of the Via Crucis, he reminded us of the power of the gift, which makes everything flourish again and is capable of reconciling what in the eyes of man is irreconcilable. And he asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ''does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects.''"

President of Israel Isaac Herzog meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (not in picture) before their meeting at Palazzo Chigi, on July 25, 2024 in Rome, Italy (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a post on X regarding the death of Pope Francis.

"I send my deepest condolences to the Christian world and especially the Christian communities in Israel - the Holy Land - on the loss of their great spiritual father, His Holiness Pope Francis. A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect," Herzog declared in the tweet.

Pope Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88, according to Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo.

"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," the announcement continued.

Farrell added: "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."