EWTN Mourns the Death of Pope Francis

Join EWTN for prayer, devotions, and the funeral Mass live from the Vatican 

IRONDALE, Ala., April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The EWTN Global Catholic Network joins together with Catholics around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis, who passed away at 88 years old at 7:35 a.m. Rome time on Monday, April 21, 2025.

The network immediately turned its programming to a lineup honoring the life of Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, including Masses, rosaries, and devotions. All events from St. Peter's Square and the Vatican, as well as the Holy Father's funeral Mass will be carried in real time on EWTN's television channels, live on YouTube, and through its on-demand app and digital platforms.

"The death of Pope Francis is a moment of personal grief for Catholics around the world. Together with our entire EWTN Family, I mourn his passing and join the Church in prayers for the repose of his soul," said EWTN Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Michael P. Warsaw. "I was privileged to be able to meet Pope Francis a number of times throughout the years and was always struck by his kindness and good humor in our encounters. As Catholics, we thank God for the life and pontificate of Pope Francis, and in particular for his tireless advocacy for those on the peripheries. "

"As part of our service to the Church in this moment, EWTN will air programming to honor Pope Francis's life and legacy as well as coverage of the many devotions and Masses from the Vatican, including the Holy Father's funeral Mass. We invite our global audience to join us in this period of mourning. May God have mercy on His servant and grant him eternal rest," said Warsaw.

EWTN News President Montse Alvarado noted: "Pope Francis wrestled publicly with his declining health over the past several months and emphasized the value of the elderly and infirm with his personal witness. His legacy will include many "firsts" for the Papacy: the first from Latin America, the first Jesuit. Most significantly, he bridged the gap between old and new forms of communication— he was our first digital Pope."

"This will be an international effort by EWTN over the coming weeks," said EWTN Vice President of Programming and Production Peter Gagnon. "We will be on the ground in Rome covering the Masses, lying in state, and the funeral, and EWTN will offer specials about Pope Francis and the papacy. Later, EWTN will transition to prayer for the future of the Church as we provide coverage of the conclave and the Papal inauguration."

On-the-ground coverage and opportunities for prayer and reflection will be available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, German, Hungarian, and Polish from EWTN's studios in the Vatican and affiliates worldwide.

For details on EWTN's coverage, resources on what happens when a Pope dies, and continuous updates on our programming, please go to https://ewtn.com/interregnum or visit EWTN on Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/everywhere.

ABOUT EWTN and EWTN NEWS
In its 45^th year, EWTN is the largest Catholic media organization in the world. EWTN's 11 global TV channels and numerous regional channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 435 million television households in more than 160 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 600 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; numerous digital and social media platforms including one of the most visited Catholic websites in the U.S.; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division. 

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., EWTN News operates multiple global news services, including Catholic News Agency, "The National Catholic Register" newspaper and digital platform, ACI Prensa in Spanish, ACI Digital in Portuguese, ACI Stampa in Italian, ACI Africa in English, French and Portuguese, ACI MENA in Arabic, CNA Deutsch in German and ChurchPop, a digital platform that creates content in several languages. It also produces numerous television news programs including EWTN News Nightly, EWTN Noticias, EWTN News In Depth, EWTN Pro-Life Weekly, The World Over, and Vaticano.

SOURCE EWTN Global Catholic Network