Pope Francis dies at 88: Live updates and reactions

Pope Francis died Monday, the Vatican announced. He was 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, made the announcement from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” Farrell said. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.′′ Francis recently spent more than a month in the hospital with double pneumonia.



But he emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter's Square and make a surprise popemobile ride through the piazza. It was his last public appearance before his death.

Follow live updates on the death of Pope Francis in the blog below..