Pope Francis Dies at 88 Catholics and world leaders mourn the loss of Pope Francis. Via @thesocaltimes Pope Francis died this morning at the age of 88 at the Vatican in Rome just hours after surprising everyone and presiding over Easter Service. In addition, Pope Francis met with US Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican on Easter Sunday. Pope Francis never physically visited Nevada, but he did elevate the Diocese of Las Vegas to an Archdiocese in May 2023. This elevation recognized the growth of the Catholic community in Clark County and the appointment of Reverend George Leo Thomas as the first Metropolitan Archbishop. He was the first Pope to ever come from South America. He served as Pope for 12 years. #popefrancis