Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, bringing an end to his 12 years as leader of the Catholic Church.
The pontiff was released from hospital last month after a bout of bronchitis led to double pneumonia.
The Vatican on Easter Monday, with Cardinal Kevin Farrell writing: "At 7.35am this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father."
He was in hospital for a total of five weeks from 14 February, but still spent his final few Sundays among the people in St Peter's Square in The Vatican.
The pontiff was driven through the crowds in St Peter's Square in a popemobile on Easter Sunday, where people stretched out their hands as he went by.
Image:He waves in St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. Pic: AP
Image:He blessed a baby as he travelled around St Peter's Square
On the same day, he had a meeting with US vice president JD Vance at his residence, Casa Santa Marta.
Image:JD Vance approaches the pope. Pic: Vatican Media
It marked the third Sunday in a row that the pope had made a public appearance.
Faithfuls had spoken of their hope for the pontiff's full recovery after seeing him on his hospital room's balcony on 23 March, the day he headed back to the Vatican.
Image:Pope Francis waves to the public from his hospital balcony on 23 March. Pic: Vatican Media/Reuters
Francis invited the medical team that saved his life to the Vatican on Wednesday, 16 April and thanked them.
Image:His meeting with personnel from Gemelli hospital and Vatican medical staff. Pic: Vatican Media/Reuters
It was a warm gesture typical of the 266th pope.
Here are some other iconic pictures of the pope throughout his life.
Image:The pope, whose birth name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, as a teenager in Argentina. Pic: AP
Image:The then priest in 1973. Pic: Reuters
Image:An undated photograph of a young Pope Francis (centre, top row) with his family in Argentina. Pic: AP
Image:Then-cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, second from left, travels on the subway in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2008. Pic: AP
Image:In Argentina, the then-cardinal washes and kisses the feet of patients of a shelter for drug users during a Holy Thursday mass. Pic: Reuters
Image:Francis arrives for his inaugural mass at the Vatican on 19 March 2013. Pic: Reuters
Image:Pope Francis takes part in his inaugural mass. Pic: Reuters
Image:Pope Francis meets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI in 2013. Pic: AP
Image:Francis releases a white dove prior to delivering a Holy Mass in Istanbul in 2014. Pic: Reuters
Image:Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip present gifts to Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican in 2014. Pic: Reuters
Image:Francis waves at the end of the Palm Sunday mass at Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican in 2016. Pic: Reuters
Image:The pope with former US president Barack Obama. Pic: AP
Image:Donald Trump meets the pope in May 2017. Pic: Reuters
Image:Francis twirls a football he was presented by a member of the Circus of Cuba at the Vatican in 2019. Pic: AP/Andrew Medichini
Image:Pope Francis kisses a baby as he arrives for the weekly general audience at the Vatican 16 October 2019. Pic: Reuters
Image:Francis receives a Spider-Man mask from a person dressed as the comic book hero amid the COVID pandemic in 2021. Pic: Reuters
Image:Pope greets people from a car after leading a Holy Mass at the Esplanade of Tasi Tolu in Dili, East Timor in 2024. Pic: Reuters
Image:Pope sits with headgear as he visits Vanimo, Papua New Guinea in September 2024. Pic: Reuters
Image:Pope Francis meets with King Charles and Queen Camilla during a private audience at the Vatican on 9 April 2025. Pic: Reuters
