Pope Francis has died aged 88, just hours after making a public appearance for Easter.
The pontiff, who was head of the Catholic church and Bishop of Rome became pope in 2013 after his predecessor Benedict XVI resigned.
New of Pope Francis’s death was announced by Cardinal Farrell in a statement shared by the Vatican.
He said: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.
“At 7.35am this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
Pope Francis had recently had a lengthy stay in hospital after being admitted on February 14 for bronchitis treatment.
He was then diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and had blood transfusions after tests revealed he had low levels of platelets in his blood, believed to be related to anemia.
He was revealed to be in a critical condition on February 22 after a “prolonged respiratory crisis” which required him to be treated with a high flow of oxygen, with the Vatican announcing the next day that the pope was showing signs of “initial, mild” kidney failure.
He remained in hospital for the rest of the month, with doctors saying that his condition was “complex”, as Catholics prayed for his healing.
Pope Francis released his first audio message since being admitted to hospital, telling the public on March 6: “I am with you from here.”
He was released from hospital after 38 days on March 23, making his first public appearance on a balcony at Gemelli where he smiled and gave crowds gathered below a thumbs up, before returning to the Vatican for a planned two-month recovery period.
Doctors had said that while the pneumonia infection had been successfully treated, the Pope would require oral medication for some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs, as well as undergoing respiratory and physical physiotherapy.
Born in 1936, he was the first pope from South America, and had undergone surgery to remove part of one lung in his native Argentina when he was a young man.
His original name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio and he previously served as a bishop in Buenos Aires.
Pope Francis became known as the “People’s Pope” for his views on those escaping war or in poverty, as well as climate change and women in the Catholic Church.
He was also accepting of the LGBTQ community, telling reporters on a flight back from Brazil about gay clergy: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”
The final few years of his life saw him experiencing several health issues, with hi public speaking being limited due to struggles with bronchitis and flu, and he needed a wheelchair or cane to get around.
Pope Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, just hours before his death.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.