Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88. He passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025, in the Vatican, where he lived. According to a report from the Vatican doctor, Andrea Arcangeli, the Pope died after having a stroke and heart failure. He had been sick before, with health problems like pneumonia, high blood pressure, and diabetes, but he continued doing his work until the very end.
Just one day before he died, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis came out to greet people in St. Peter’s Square and gave his Easter blessing. Many said he looked tired but peaceful. On Monday morning, he started feeling unwell at around 5:30 a.m., then went into a coma, and died an hour later. His last words were “thank you,” spoken to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti.
The Vatican later shared the Pope’s final wishes. He asked to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, a church he visited often. His funeral will be held on April 26, and after that, Catholic Church leaders will begin a special nine-day mourning period. Then, over 100 cardinals will meet to choose the next pope.
As the world says goodbye to Pope Francis, many people are starting to ask important questions about the future of the Church. One major question is: Why has there never been a Black pope?
The Catholic Church is worldwide, with millions of followers in Africa, the Caribbean, and Black communities in the Americas and Europe. Over the years, there have been African and Black cardinals who are respected, wise, and strong leaders. Yet, none of them has ever been chosen to become pope. Some people say this could be due to tradition or politics within the Church. Others believe it may be time for a change.
Today, there are Black and African cardinals who could be great leaders of the Catholic Church. For example, Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana has long been seen as a possible candidate. Many in the Black community around the world are hoping that this could finally be the time for the first Black pope in history.
This moment is not just about mourning the death of Pope Francis. It is also a chance to talk about change, inclusion, and fairness in the Church. With the eyes of the world now on the Vatican, people are hoping for a future that reflects the diversity of the global Catholic family.
