The pope's death comes one day after Francis, 88, greeted Easter Sunday crowds in his popemobile. He had battled a respiratory infection for weeks.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died aged 88 He died of stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure, the Vatican says in a statement

Francis, who emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, died on Monday morning, the Vatican announced.