Who was Pope Francis? Pope Francis, 88, dies. Read more on Dynamite NewsPope Francis Passed AwayVatican City: Pope Francis, the first pontiff from the Americas and the southern hemisphere, died on Monday at the age of 88. He chose the name Francis, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century saint who devoted himself to the poor by renouncing his wealth. “I want a poor Church, for the poor,” he declared days after becoming pope.