Giovanna

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. The Vatican announced that he died at 7:35 AM local time at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The first Jesuit to become pope and the first from Latin America, Francis led the Catholic Church for over a decade as an outspoken critic of capitalism, a consistent opponent of war, and a defender of the poor, the displaced, and the marginalized. He often emphasized what he called the Church’s preferential option for the poor, and frequently highlighted the suffering of migrants around the world. Francis was also one of the few world leaders to consistently condemn Israel’s war on Gaza. He spoke daily with members of Gaza’s Christian community—even as Israeli attacks struck near and inside church compounds. In November 2024, he called for an international investigation into whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constituted genocide, citing expert opinions that it bore such characteristics.  In his final public message, delivered on Easter Sunday and read aloud by an aide from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he issued a direct appeal for peace: “I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation. I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!” He also spoke to the suffering of communities across the Middle East: “Let us pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Syria, presently experiencing a delicate transition in its history. They aspire to stability and to participation in the life of their respective nations. I urge the whole Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.” “I also think in particular of the people of Yemen, who are experiencing one of the world’s most serious and prolonged humanitarian crises because of war, and I invite all to find solutions through a constructive dialogue.” Speaking broadly to the world’s political leaders, he said: “I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear, which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development. These are the ‘weapons’ of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death! May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions. In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenceless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity.” Earlier that day, Pope Francis met briefly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The meeting, which lasted only a few minutes, was an exchange of Easter greetings—his final meeting with a U.S. official. The full text of Pope Francis’s final Easter message is shared in the reply below.

REPORT: The Trump administration is attempting to deport non-citizens due to their perceived pro-Palestinian support or criticism of U.S.-Israeli genocide in Gaza. Here’s an updated list of those known to have been targeted by the U.S. government: 🧵🔽 1. Mahmoud Khalil (Targeted: March 8, 2025) Khalil, a 30-year-old Syrian-born Algerian citizen and Columbia University graduate student (master’s in international affairs), was arrested on March 8, 2025, at his Manhattan apartment. He’s detained at the ICE facility in Jena, Louisiana, facing deportation after the Trump administration accused him of risking “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States,” per a DHS document cited by The Guardian. On March 23, DHS filed additional claims, alleging he “withheld that he worked for [UNRWA]” and “failed to disclose continuing employment by the Syria Office in the British Embassy in Beirut” on his 2024 green card application, per Reuters. In Newark federal court on March 28, Judge Michael Farbiarz said he’d rule “as quickly as I can” on jurisdiction and bail, leaving Khalil in custody pending a decision.