Good morning on this Monday, April 21st. I'm Ali Vitale, and we come on the air with breaking news this morning.

Pope Francis has passed away. The Vatican made the announcement just moments ago, saying the 88-year-old Bishop of Rome has returned to the House of the Father.

Just yesterday, Francis made a surprise public appearance to bless thousands of people in

St. Peter's Square. He then drove through the piazza on the so-called Pope Mobile. Francis also met

with Vice President J.D. Vance over the weekend. The Pope had been critical, of course, of the Trump

administration and its mass deportation efforts, as Francis was an advocate for migrants. The Pope had been recovering,

though, from pneumonia. He was in the hospital for five weeks and was discharged less than a month ago.

MSNBC's Chris Jansing has a look back at his life and legacy.

Francis, the pastor, gathering excited children on the Pope Mobile, ever the warm and humble priest he showed the world the day he was elected in 2013.

Asking for prayers, dressed in a simple white casso and an iron cross, not the traditional gold.

No surprise from a man who is cardinal in Buenos Aires,

lived in a small apartment, rode the subway, and cooked his own meals.

He could understand regular people.

I'm an ordinary person, an ordinary guy, with an extraordinary job.

And I think that the message was, I am one of you.

But then, surprising many as Pope by bluntly taking on controversial causes, speaking out against

the invasion of Ukraine. Criticizing those who wouldn't wear masks during the pandemic, calling

couples who had pets instead

of children selfish, and as the first pope to address a joint session of Congress, challenging the

U.S. to open its arms to refugees and abolish the penalty. Even earlier, just months after his election,

saying something revolutionary for a Catholic church leader,

that the church must welcome the LGBTQ community.

...