The pope's death comes one day after Francis, 88, greeted Easter Sunday crowds in his popemobile. He had battled a respiratory infection for weeks.

Rome — Pope Francis, who challenged deeply rooted norms and made it his mission to change the perception of the Catholic Church around the world, has died at the age of 88. The Vatican said Pope Francis died just after 7:30 a.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis probably expected that he would face opposition to his reform agenda after Catholics for two generations grew used to more conservative, doctrine-minded pontiffs.