Claim: Pope Francis has passed away.
Fact: The viral claim is false. The update from The Holy See Press Office confirms that Pope Francis is still receiving treatment in the hospital.
Pope Francis, The Holy Father, at 88 years old, has been receiving medical treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14. He was hospitalised after battling a respiratory tract infection for several weeks, which was later diagnosed to pneumonia and a complex lung infection. This condition has been further complicated by his history of asthmatic bronchitis.
Soon after international media outlets reported this, several posts began circulating on social media claiming that Pope Francis had, in fact, died.
Particularly starting on Sunday, February 23, posts claiming that Pope Francis had passed away spread widely on platforms like X and TikTok.
A user named Hasi Liyanage on X shared a post with the caption: ‘REST IN PEACE POPE FRANCIS 🌹❤️ 🕊️🙏🏼 (1936-2025).’
We found similar posts shared on social media. Some of these posts can be seen here, here, here, here, here and here.
Factcheck/ Verification
We checked official news sources from The Holy See Press Office and Vatican News to verify the authenticity of the claim. There were no official statements confirming the news of Pope Francis’ death.
The Holy See Press Office, which releases updates twice a day, has kept the faithful and the global media informed about the Pope’s health since his admission to the Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Friday, February 14, due to a case of bronchitis.
The latest update on Pope Francis’ health, published by The Holy See Press Office on the evening of Tuesday, February 25, 2025, states that the Pope’s condition remains critical but stable. It also notes that, after receiving the Eucharist in the morning, he resumed his work activities. The reports can be viewed here and here.
Conclusion
The claim that Pope Francis has passed away is false. Pope Francis is alive, though his health condition remains a serious concern.
Result: False
Our Sources
News report published on The Holy See Press Office website
News report on Vatican News, dated February 25, 2025.
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