Pope Francis has died, the Vatican has announced in a video statement.

The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88 at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) on Monday, said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.

Francis had suffered various ailments in his 12 year papacy, with severe complications in recent weeks after a bout of double pneumonia for which he spent five weeks in hospital.

His death comes one day after a brief appearance before thousands of Catholic pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass.

This is a developing story, more details to follow …