Doha: The Vatican announced in a statement on Monday that Pope Francis has died at the age of 88.

According to Qatar News Agency, Pope Francis died after a long struggle with health problems. The late Pope has suffered from bouts of ill health over the past two years. He was hospitalized on February 14 and discharged on March 23.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, known as Pope Francis, was the first Latin American to ascend to the papal throne of the Catholic Church. He was elected Pope of the Vatican on March 13, 2013.