Pope Francis served as the head of the Catholic Church from his election on March 13, 2013, until his death on April 21, 2025. This means he served as pope for a little over 12 years
. He was the 266th pope and the first from the Americas, as well as the first Jesuit pope
. His papacy lasted longer than the average tenure of about 7.5 years for previous popes
. He passed away at age 88 after a period of declining health, including hospitalization for respiratory issues earlier in 2025
