In Pictures: The Argentine Pope who was a voice for the poor and marginalised

The 88-year-old pontiff had been recovering from pneumonia.

Pope Francis twirls a football presented by a member of the Circus of Cuba, during his weekly general audience in the Vatican in 2019 (AP)

With humility and compassion for the poor and disadvantaged, Pope Francis led the Roman Catholic Church from his ordination in in 2013 until his death on Easter Monday.

The 88-year-old pontiff had emerged from his convalescence after suffering pneumonia just a day before on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

During his papacy, Francis spoke out passionately on the plight of migrants fleeing war and poverty, the pressing need to protect the environment and tackle climate change, and what he saw as the iniquities of unfettered capitalism.

Seen as an outsider when he was chosen to succeed Benedict XVI, the Argentine was the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Francis also met world leaders and royalty, with the King and Queen among the most recent visitors granted an audience during their trip to Rome earlier this month.