Pope Francis Dies at 88 After Meeting JD Vance

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, following a period of declining health and just one day after meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican. The meeting, which included an exchange of gifts and pleasantries, was among the pope’s last public interactions; Vance commented that Francis appeared very ill but expressed his admiration and condolences to Catholics worldwide. Francis, noted for his advocacy for migrants and social justice, had recently criticized the Trump administration's deportation policies, emphasizing the dignity and vulnerability of migrants. He was the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, recognized for addressing issues like child sexual abuse within the Church and for his outspoken stances on political and humanitarian issues. Vatican officials acknowledged Francis’s poor health in recent months, with reports of hospitalization for pneumonia and bronchitis preceding his death. The selection of the next pope is pending, and global tributes have begun to highlight Francis’s legacy of compassion and reform.