Pope Francis dies: Resurfaced video of Jorge Mario Bergoglio being elected goes viral. Watch

Apr 21, 2025 06:15 PM IST

Pope Francis died on Monday, aged 88 after a prolonged health battle. Here’s a look back at the moment he was elected 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on Monday at the age of 88 after a prolonged health battle. He was the first Latin American pontiff and served as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years. In the wake of his tragic death that shook the world, a resurfaced video of Francis being elected as the pope in 2013 is making rounds on the internet.

FILE – Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who chose the name of Pope Francis, waves to the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after being elected 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, file)(AP)

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The clip, which has gone viral on X, shows Francis waving to the crowd gathered below his balcony in St. Peter’s Square after being elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. In his first public address, the late pontiff said, “You know that it was the duty of the Conclave to give Rome a Bishop. It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone to the ends of the Earth to get one… but here we are…,” per NBC News.

In the months prior to his tragic death, Francis was hospitalised due to severe health issues. He spent weeks battling a complex lung infection that caused early stages of “kidney insufficiency.” As a young man, the pontiff suffered from chronic lung disease that necessitated the removal of part of one lung. On February 14, he was admitted to Gemelli hospital for a respiratory condition that developed into double pneumonia, per The Independent.

While he spent 38 days in the hospital, Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people gathered at St. Peter’s Square. In his last message to the world, the Catholic Church leader prayed for peace in Ukraine and for the people of Myanmar. “May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace,” he said.

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