Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, passed away peacefully on Easter Monday 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 years, following ongoing health complications related to his lungs and heart.
As the spiritual leader of over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide, the Pope serves not only as the Bishop of Rome, but also as a global shepherd, guiding the Church in matters of faith, morality, and social justice. Pope Francis embraced this role with extraordinary humility and compassion, becoming a powerful voice for the poor, the marginalised, and the planet.
Travelling through Europe as part of our Classics curriculum, myself and 15 other Sancta Maria College senior students had the profound honour of being present at his final public appearance during Easter Sunday Mass at the Vatican. Despite being gravely ill, he appeared briefly on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, offering a final blessing to the gathered faithful.
It was a deeply moving moment as even in his frail state he rejected advice from the doctors and shared his blessing and called for world peace – a testament to the deep love and compassion that he showed all throughout his papacy. Later, he was driven through the crowd one last time in his popemobile, an unforgettable experience, as the popemobile drove straight passed our cohort of students.
Witnessing him in those final hours, still giving of himself in service, was a living reflection of the values he preached: mercy, dignity, and a love that puts others first.
