Pope Francis, the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years has died. The pope’s death was announced today by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo.
The 88 years old pontiff brought a more forward-looking approach to the Vatican and worked to ease the Catholic Church’s rhetoric on social issues like homosexuality, the death penalty and the role of women.
His death will prompt a period of mourning, after which all cardinals under the age of 80 will convene to pick the next leader of the Catholic Church. It typically takes between two and three weeks for a new Pope to be chosen.
