NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Pope Francis died Monday at 88, hours after blessing thousands of people at St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday. His death came after a long hospital stay in February for a respiratory crisis. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who takes charge after the pontiff's death, said that the pope had "returned to the home of the Father" following his death at 1:35 a.m. ET. The pontiff will be laid in a coffin around 2 p.m. ET.
4:15 PM -- Trump to attend Pope Francis' funeral
“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!” President Donald Trump said on social media.
3:45 PM -- Hochul directs flags at half-staff statewide
Hochul directed flags at half-staff statewide to honor the life and legacy of Pope Francis. Flags will be lowered from Monday, April 21 through the day of his funeral service.
“I join everyone around the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis, as his leadership transcended religious boundaries,” Hochul said in a statement.
“He embodied the values Christ taught us every day: helping the less fortunate, calling for peace, and ensuring every person is treated as a child of God,” the governor said. “Pope Francis led with compassion, humility and inclusivity, emphasizing that God does not disown any of his children, and reminded us of our collective responsibility to protect this beautiful planet, our shared home. We should all strive to carry on his legacy.”
2:30 PM -- Vatican says pope's cause of death was stroke
Pope Francis' cause of death was a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure, the Vatican said.
It also relayed that the pope will be buried in St. Mary Major Basilica in a simple underground tomb. The basilica is home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.
2 PM -- Vatican performs first public commemoration of pope
The Vatican performed a Rosary prayer in St. Peter’s Square as the sun set in the first public commemoration following Pope Francis' death. It was led by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The first reading was delivered by Sister Raffaella Petrini, president of the Vatican City State and one of the highest ranking women at the Vatican. Her appointment was a sign of Francis' insistence that women be given more prominent, decision-making roles.
11:15 AM -- Murphy says pope a 'model of mercy and inclusivity'
Gov. Phil Murphy said he and his wife Tammy Murphy were mourning the pope.
In a statement, the governor said in part, "From Buenos Aires to Rome, he reminded us that we are inextricably bound to one another, and that we all have a sacred duty to alleviate suffering across the world. He was a model of mercy and inclusivity, never hesitating to comfort the sick, the indigent, or the most marginalized among us."
9:15 AM -- Pope took whirlwind tour of NYC in 2015
From the United Nations to the Sept. 11 memorial to Central Park to Madison Square Garden — and everywhere in between — there was no escaping Pope Francis during his trip to New York City on Sept. 24-Sept. 26, 2015. Catholics and non-Catholics alike strained to see the pontiff as he visited spots across Manhattan. Some got close enough to receive blessings. Many had to settle for catching a glimpse of him zipping around by motorcade in his Fiat 500.
8:45 AM -- Hochul says 'carry on' pope's legacy
Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote on X that she was mourning the pope and that "We should all strive to carry on his legacy."
"He embodied the values Christ taught us every day: Helping the less fortunate, calling for peace, and ensuring every person is treated as a child of God," the governor wrote.
8:15 AM -- Cardinal Dolan remembers Pope Francis
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archdiocese of New York, spoke to the press about the death of Pope Francis after Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Monday.
At the cathedral, a photo of Pope Francis was placed alongside the chair he sat in when he gave Mass there during his visit in 2015. A chalice he used was also resting on a table.
Dolan had already planned to go to Rome on Tuesday as part of a pilgrimage with 200 people. He said there's no formal schedule yet for the conclave to elect a new pope.
In a statement on the pope's death, Dolan said in part, "I join with people all over the world, not only Catholics, but people of all faiths or none at all, in mourning the passing of our beloved Pope Francis this morning. How appropriate that his last public appearance was on Easter Sunday as we celebrated the joy of the resurrection of Jesus whom Pope Francis loved so deeply and so well, and right after our Jewish brothers and sisters, for whom Pope Francis had such great love, concluded their celebration of Passover."
7 AM -- Adams orders flags at half-staff to honor Pope Francis
Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Monday morning and ordered flags citywide at half-staff for Pope Francis.
Here is the mayor's statement:
“It is with great sadness that I mourn with billions around the world after learning of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. As someone deeply connected to my faith and who represents a city of millions of Catholics, my visit to the Vatican to meet with and hear directly from Pope Francis last year was one of the most sacred and special moments of my life. Pope Francis led with kindness, grace, and faith as he helped build a better world and unite all people, regardless of their background. His decades of spreading peace and love will forever be remembered.”
