Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, a vocal champion of the world’s poor, dispossessed and disadvantaged, and a critic of corporate greed and social and economic inequality has died. He was a divisive force within the Vatican speaking out against extravagance and privilege, calling on church leaders to show humility. ‘His views riled significant numbers of cardinals and powerful Vatican officials, who often sought to frustrate Francis’s efforts to overhaul the ancient institutions of the church. But his compassion and humanity endeared him to millions around the world. His death is likely to exacerbate sharp divisions within the curia, with conservatives seeking to wrest control of the church away from reformers.’
His death came at 7.35 am this morning after a respiratory crisis in February that developed into double pneumonia; and he already had chronic lung disease with part of one lung removed as a young man.
He died at the exact moment Pluto was conjunct the Moon and the Midheaven with Algol exactly conjunct the Ascendant and Uranus. Amazingly precise.
Born 17 December 1936 9pm Buenos Airies, Argentina, he had a Sagittarius Sun and Jupiter in his hard-working 6th house with progressive, reforming Uranus in his 10th square Pluto on one side and Venus Moon in Aquarius on the other. His Sun was in a compassionate, idealistic square to Neptune opposition his Saturn in Pisces on the cusp of his religious 9th house. His Mars in Libra in his outspoken 3rd house was square Pluto giving him courage and determination.
He died as his Solar Arc Midheaven was passing over his Pluto and tr Saturn was one degree past the square to his Sun – and tr Jupiter was just into his 12th house of peace and contemplation.
His election chart, 13 March 2013 7.06pm had a Jupiterian yod inconjunct Saturn sextile Pluto so had the capacity to change society for the better. Transiting Jupiter was almost conjunct the Solar Arc Jupiter as he passed, amplifying his record; with tr Saturn having been square recently. More significantly tr Neptune was exactly conjunct the Mars and the Solar Arc Venus for disappointment and loss.
Tr Jupiter was moving across the Vatican 10th when he was elected hinting at a time of promise ahead. But his natal Saturn in Pisces opposition Neptune was square the Vatican Gemini New Moon suggesting his compassion and criticism would not go down well.
The Vatican, 7 June 1929 11 am Rome, is moving into a ferment of change with tr Uranus aiming to conjunct the Jupiter and Midheaven and square the Neptune through June into July.
See previous post: Pope Francis – facing Saturnine realities 20th February 2025.
Add On. The original Rome chart of 21 April 753 BC JC seems to work well against the sacking in 401 AD by the Visigoths and another sacking in 1527 and its liberation by Allied troops in 1944.
Actually, the Visigoths didn’t sacked Rome in AD 401. They sacked Rome in AD 410. In AD 401, the Visigoths, under the leadership of Alaric, did invade Italy, but they were pushed back by Stilicho.
Thanks for the City of Rome chart Marjorie, something to ponder with my (very) late lunch!
One thing I noticed are the recent eclipses in Libra and Aries showing up – last autumn’s 10 Libra, and this spring’s 9 Aries. Last autumn’s SS series signified loss and separation, according to B. Brady. Fascinating to see Jupiter, a king, a general, a religious figurehead, at 10 Aries in the chart for Rome itself.
Vatican: Uranus 10 Aries
Ancient Rome: Jupiter 10 Aries
Pope Francis elected: Uranus 7 Aries – a shake up for the Vatican?
Pope Francis natal: Solar Arc Desc 9 Aries, Mercury by SA 11 Aries
And, intriguingly, Act of Supremacy, 3 November 1534, England – Chiron 9 Aries trine Saturn at 9 royal Leo. Perhaps that signifies a wounded or wounding royal figure, such as Henry VIII?
Treaty of Rome, 25 March 1957: Sun 4 Aries, Desc 6 Aries, mercantile Mercury 9 Aries. I’m linking this in because the founding of the Common Market sought to connect trading nations, to share a currency (as did the Romans), and to share certain ethics, ideals, standards and so on. I feel this resonates with the Catholic Church’s historical desire for a shared religion across Europe. The Church was/is also run as a profitable business venture.
Thank you Marjorie. A compassionate, hard-working Pope with great personal warmth I thought. May he rest in peace.
Will they now swing back to a more conservative thinker, or favour one who seeks to modernise I wonder? I read one of the ‘contenders’ has suggested allowing priests to marry as a way to increase their failing numbers. It’s an interesting issue, particularly with a Taurus MC for the Vatican ruled by Venus, and Jupiter, the head of the Church, sitting there close to that high-energy star Algol, head of the Gorgon, or Medusa. Part of the Medusa’s story is that of a woman betrayed and demonised, so hmmn. What will tr Uranus in Taurus shake up?
I also noticed that the English Reformation’s first Act of Supremacy, 3 November 1534, had Pluto 2 Aquarius (with South Node 0 Aquarius), Neptune 0 Aries – and here they are again now, boosted by the current tr Mars in Leo opposing Pluto in Aquarius. It served to cut ties with the Pope in Rome, and place Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church of England. Marrying Anne Boleyn seems to have been the main driver for this. Black Moon Lilith was 27 Taurus in the 1591 chart, aligning with Algol today, tr Uranus, and the Vatican MC and Jupiter. BLM is currently 18 Scorpio, aligning with the 20 Scorpio Mars back in 1591.
I think the first Act of Supremacy’s astrology may also be relevant to the eventual election of a new Archbishop of Canterbury in the UK. Again, the role of women could be under discussion? Back to contemplating the popular Medieval legend of Pope Joan, and her subsequent appearance as La Papesse or High Priestess in the Tarot!
I know there is a public and private persona to all leaders, and he was far from perfect, but Pope Francis genuinely seemed like one of the better ones. He was a breath of fresh air for an institution that so often seems to deeply resist if not thrive upon throttling any kind of honest self-inquiry, much less reform or humility.
It is beyond my comprehension that trump is going to the services.
Either way. That he wants to go, and that the powers that be will allow it. Disgraceful
I’m sure he wants to wrest the spotlight from others and display his dominance over other leaders, demonstrating how he alone is worthy of being worshipped. His desire to attend has nothing to do the late pope, whose beliefs Trump clearly despised. I suspect he also wants to muscle out the more deserving Biden, a genuinely devout Catholic.
Nicole, while Marjorie’s post is not about Trump, I agree he would want the spotlight by attending the Pope’s funeral. He could also upstage Biden as you point out. He probably thinks he would be showing proper respect – and he can hardly send Vance! Trump has Aries on natal 9th house, with its ruler, Mars, on his Ascendant at 26 Leo. It’s a chance to evidence his (recent) fundamentalist Christian religion at the same time as acting the part of the American king, along with the other kings who will be in attendance. Likely including King Charles. How could he resist? I doubt there will be any protest from the Roman Catholic church itself as it will be a super-high-profile event. On May 9, transiting Uranus at the MC will be exactly square Trump’s natal Mars in Leo, and progressed Venus in the 3rd in Libra will be opposed by transiting Chiron from his 9th. His progressed Ascendant will be in T-square to progressed Saturn and transiting Pluto. Transiting Mars in Leo will be conjunct his progressed MC, conjunct natal Pluto and transiting Venus will oppose his natal Neptune. It will be quite a day, however it turns out. Maybe Trump will even take a moment to consider his own legacy when he sits in St. Peters – it’s a big enough venue that even he ought to feel a little humbled.
Is there some correlation between a Saturn/North Node conjunction and the passing of an important senior figurehead?
May he Rest in Peace.
I thought that, too. Saturn/NN/Venus all in Pisces, Nept. ruled, and Neptune at 0 degrees, just having moving into Aries. End of an era.
In addition to tr Saturn being square his Sun – Venus and the Moon’s Nodes were also square his Sun at the time of his death – so it was fated. Vale’ Pope Francis.
The book was published in 2016 which was 3 years after Francis was elected as Pope. The dead Pope in the book Conclave was portrayed as a liberal and a reformer who had clashed with the traditionalists in the Vatican Curia. This picture does not fit Ratzinger who as Benedict XVI was generally regarded as a theological conservative. The Pope in the novel by Harris had specifically chosen to stay in the Domus Sanctae Marthae after his election rather than the papal palace. All these features are similar to the late Pope Francis
Marjorie,
Could you profile for us in a separate post the last two before Francis, Benedict and John Paul II? You are very good at point out the goods and the bads, and I assume it will be the same for the rules of those two.
Marjorie has already done posts on the two previous popes, Benedict XVI on 28th December 2022, days before his passing, and John Paul II on 18th May 2020. Found both of them through the search function.
Marjorie, as I understand it, the Papal Conclave must be held in between 15 and 20 days after the death of the Pope.
While we do not know the exact date or indeed the time it would start (so the placement of the Houses), is there anything in the patterns of the outer planets and perhaps even the signs of the inner planets that would give us an idea of the direction of travel for the Conclave.
I am reminded of the Italian saying that a fat pope is followed by a thin pope and vice versa, i.e. that each pope is markedly different from his immediate predecessor. Thus Francis’s down-to-earth folksy nature was a departure from Benedict XVI’s very bookish, theological bent.
So I expect the next Pope to be more theologically conservative than Francis.
The crucial question is, would the cardinals opt for a young Pope, who will preside over a long papacy, or will they opt for an older pope to preside over effectively an interregnum.
Wikipedia is saying 15-21 days giving us between 6th – 12th May.
I’m intrigued by this being a new Pope in the Pluto in Aqua period because its an air sign and rational, its secular and wants to make reforms.
On the flipside Neptune has just moved into Aries and that’s headfirst emotion! Saturn remains in Pisces until the end of May.
Most of the tough aspects are over by the time of the Conclave – Mars in Leo separating from its opposition with Pluto. The Sun is approaching a conjunction to Uranus but still 5degs to close on the 12th. Venus in Aries is direct and in close conjunction with Neptune and sextile Pluto at the beginning. On the 11th Mercury moves into Taurus and there is a full moon on the 12th but will the Conclave go all to the end. I’d assume there’s been a lot of preparation and politicking already
“I’m intrigued by this being a new Pope in the Pluto in Aqua period because its an air sign and rational, its secular and wants to make reforms.”
Oh GD, I wish you hadn’t sent me down this particular rabbit hole.
So I started looking up the popes in the previous Pluto-in-Aquarius periods.
The entire previous Pluto-in-Aquarius period was covered by the reign of just one pope, Pius VI. who was Pope from 1775 to 1799. I didn’t read much about his policies as much as noticed that Rome was invaded by Napoleon’s troops and the Pope was taken prisoner by them at the end of his tenure. He died in custody.
The Pluto-in-Aquarius period prior to that (or more precisely the end of the Pluto-in-Capricorn period) had the 1527 Sack of Rome by mutinous troops of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, and the then-Pope, Clement VII, was also taken prisoner (but who later escaped).
Famously it was the fight put up by the Swiss Guards to protect him as he fled down the Passetto from the Vatican to the Castel Sant Angelo that made the Swiss Guards Guards famous. And new Swiss Guards are sworn in on 6th May every year, the anniversary of their defence of that Pope.
One Pluto-in-Aquarius period further back, Pope Boniface VIII was abducted and died in captivity.
I think you can see a disturbing pattern here. I think now is the time to visit Rome and enjoy its beauties and charms before it all goes pear-shaped, from the looks of it.
Marjorie, is there an ancient birthchart for the city of Rome that we can consult, like Lilly’s chart for the City of London?
If not, can you cast a chart for the Eternal City, born on April 21st 753BC.
As a practising catholic but not a doctrinaire one I have mixed feelings towards this pope as I have to all of the recent popes. Everything you say about him quite correct, in that he has attempted to steer the catholic church to the outsiders and the disadvantaged, but so did all of the popes since John Paul II. However, he appeared to arouse hostility within the great and the good in the world of Catholicity, not for this, but for his casual approach to both the liturgy and the traditional teaching of the catholic church. For example, he has restricted the use of the Tridentine mass – a truly bizarre decision, which upset James Macmillan so much that he signed a petition, as I did, requesting a rethink. The rich musical liturgical tradition appears to have been junked in favour of the worst aspects of happy clappy land, especially in the Americas.
I forgot to mention the ongoing cover-ups of child abuse cases, one of which, I understand, involved our own Cardinal Nicols.
Some very interesting historical discussions by Larry the Cat.
Hugh and others might just concur…
“Actually I think the most recent time both the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury were simultaneously vacant was in 1556 when Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was executed for heresy.
The Papacy was also vacant for a period following the death of Pope Julius III in March 1555?”
“Larry the Cat @Number10cat
The last time the roles of Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury were both vacant at the same time was 333 years ago in 1691.”
I love these kinds of history!
Does that mean that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and New Rome is currently the only head of an ancient church still in post?
PS: I know the Copts have their own Pope. It is a light hearted comment.
I was struck by that Pluto 10h – Moon in the 9h with Sun in the 12h. His past as Pope (Moon on the Midheaven in the religious house) now has his Sun is in the spirit world.
Francis was clearly the model for the dead Pope at the opening of Robert Harris novel, Conclave, who also happened to to die in rooms in the Domus Sanctae Marthae which he had chosen as a residence in preference to the Papal Palace. One wonders whether in the upcoming Papal election life will continue to follow art.
Is there a cardinal of the stature of Benitez?
One can hope life follows art.
Interesting. When I saw the movie, I interpreted the dead pope as being cast in the image of Benedict XVI (who also used to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae after his resignation)_ and the new Pope, Innocent, being modeled on Francis. Softly spoken, of an American background, etc.
His recent illness was at its zenith during the eclipse of a few weeks ago. Given the time span of eclipses, I wondered if it was still noticeably active at the time of his death?
Sad, but expected.
May he RIP.