Pope Francis, a happy reformer, dies at 88

• Pope Francis, a reformer who inspired widespread Catholic devotion but riled traditionalists, passed away at 88.

• The Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, was released from hospital after 38 days of battle with double pneumonia.

• Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis, expressing deep sorrow.

• Francis, a former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, sought to forge a more open and compassionate Church.

• He was the first Jesuit to lead the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics and the first Pope from the Americas.