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Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff who ministered with a charming, humble style, dies at 88

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has died at age 88. The first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor. But he alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. From his election, the Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio signaled a different papacy, embracing refugees and the downtrodden, especially following the troubled tenure of Pope Benedict XVI. But conservatives grew increasingly upset with Francis’ progressive bent, outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and crackdown on traditionalists. He badly botched a notorious case of clergy sexual abuse in 2018. Bells tolled in church towers across Rome on Monday, and in the evening the Vatican began a Rosary prayer in St. Peter’s Square in its first public commemoration.

The Latest: Pope Francis dies at age 88

Pope Francis has died at age 88. History’s first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated many conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. He had suffered from chronic lung disease. He was admitted to a hospital on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there in the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy. He last appeared in public on Sunday with an Easter morning blessing and popemobile tour through a crowd of thousands in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis reached out to migrants and the LGBTQ+ community, but also drew unusual opposition

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pontiff and the first to take the name of Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrants. He was the eldest of five children. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and led the order in Argentina during the country’s murderous dictatorship that began in the 1970s. After being named archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was elevated to cardinal in 2001 by St. John Paul II. He was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013, on the fifth ballot.

What to know about the death of Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Francis’ death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell. The Irish-born Vatican camerlengo’s position will be important in the election of the next pope. Francis made his final public appearance a day earlier on Easter Sunday. Francis’ death now sets off the process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects. That will be followed by a funeral to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals and a conclave to elect a new pope.

From Buenos Aires to Rome: Key dates in the life of Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The first pope from the Americas was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936. He was chosen to lead the church on March 13, 2013. He picked the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi. He was the eldest of five children. His father was Mario Jose Bergoglio, an accountant who had moved from Italy. His mother was Regina María Sívori, the daughter of Italian immigrants. He was ordained a priest with the Jesuit religious order in 1969 and elevated to cardinal in 2001 by St. John Paul II.

Google faces off with US government in attempt to break up company in search monopoly case

WASHINGTON (AP) — Google on Monday began confronting an existential threat as the U.S. government tries to break up the company as punishment for turning its revolutionary search engine into a ruthless monopoly. The drama began to unfold Monday in a Washington courtroom as three weeks of hearings kicked off to determine how the company should be penalized for operating an illegal monopoly in search. The proceedings, known in legal parlance as a “remedy hearing,” feature a parade of witnesses that includes Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The moment of reckoning comes four-and-a-half-years after the U.S. Justice Department filed a landmark lawsuit alleging Google’s search engine had been abusing its power as the internet’s main gateway.

Sharon Lokedi breaks Boston Marathon course record. John Korir joins his brother as a Boston winner

BOSTON (AP) — Sharon Lokedi broke the Boston Marathon course record, and fellow Kenyan John Korir joined his brother as a race champion on Monday as the city celebrated the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. The runners followed in the hoofsteps of a Paul Revere reenactor who rode down Boylston Street and proclaimed “the runners are coming” as the race celebrated the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. Lokedi finished in an unofficial 2 hours, 17 minutes, 22 seconds. Korir won in 2:04:45.