Monday’s Live with Kelly and Mark kicked off with the “really sad news” of Pope Francis‘ passing at 88 years old.
Kelly Ripa apologized to viewers who she may have been “breaking” the news to, as the pope died very early this morning.
She shared that she woke up very early in the morning and got first-hand updates as the news unfolded. A journalist reporting from Vatican City captured her attention as he informed people there about the breaking news during Easter services and the jubilee celebrations. It was a heartbreaking scene.
Mark Consuelos marveled at how Pope Francis gave the Easter Sunday address, which both hosts found extraordinary.
“I was saying to [Live EP Michael] Gelman backstage, this will be my third conclave since being on the show,” Ripa, who joined Live in 2001, shared.
Consuelos added, “I asked you that this morning.”
Ripa continued, “It’s wild to think about.”
Kelly Ripa mentioned two other conclaves involving Pope John Paul II, who served from 1978 until 2005, and Pope Benedict XVI, who was the pontiff from 2005 until his resignation in 2013.
Ripa praised Pope Francis, who she said “leaves behind quite a legacy and is [a] very beloved, beloved pope.”
“As Catholics, it’s always so hard when there is transition in the church and when there’s a loss of a pope, it’s like you’re fatherless for a spell,” she added. “You almost feel fatherless in a way.”
Consuelos noted that the process of “finding the new pope” will “start right away.”
Live with Kelly and Mark airs on weekdays. Check out their website for your local listings.
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