Pope Francis dies at the age of 88 - Bishop Elbs says goodbye

Pope Francis dies at the age of 88 - Bishop Elbs says goodbye

Rom, Italien - on Monday morning, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died at the age of 88. The cause of death was a severe bilateral pneumonia, which has led to his health decline in the past few weeks. According to reports, additional drug therapy was necessary to treat the disease that was first diagnosed as bronchitis. Despite these health problems, the Vatican reported that Francis was in a "good mood" when he was last treated in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Bishop Benno Elbs, who was appointed bishop by Francis, was concerned about the loss of the Pope. In his memories, he described Francis as the "great man of the church and faith", who greeted people with a simple "Buonasera" in his election. Elbs emphasized that the teachings of Francis, in particular the lived faith in the service in humans, have left a lasting impression.

a life for the church

Franziskus had repeatedly emphasized the call to the church to go out to the poor, marginalized and wounded. His concern was to sharpen the view of the edges and strengthen the local churches. As part of his teaching and the synodal process that he had initiated, he strived to hear the people's voices and pay attention to the Spirit of God. The term "synod" describes the "common path" of the people of God and shows the central role that Francis took over in the over 2000-year history of the church.

The current synodal processes that Francis launched are part of this development and are intended to answer questions about the life and program of the church. These processes extend over several years and include different phases, including the diocesan, continental and world church phase.

a goodbye word

In his emotional obituary, Elbs Francis thanked the trust that he brought towards him and the warm encounters they were allowed to share with each other. He also expressed the desire that the deceased Pope may now rest in God's peace. The death of Pope Francis leaves a large gap not only in the Catholic Church, but also all over the world that will be difficult to fill.