Pat Robertson, the renowned conservative American televangelist known for his often extreme viewpoints, passed away early Thursday morning at the age of 93 in his residence in Virginia Beach. The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), the Christian channel he founded in 1960, announced his demise in a statement.

Pat Robertson enjoyed great popularity among the faithful and hosted a daily ultra-conservative show called “The 700 Club,” which had a million viewers on CBN.

Pat Robertson, American conservative televangelist, is dead

Additionally, he ran as a Republican candidate in the 1988 presidential election and founded the Christian Coalition, known for its staunch opposition to abortion and advocacy for prayer in schools.

While Pat Robertson had significant political influence in the 1990s, with nearly four million members according to The New York Times, the organization had lost much of its influence since the 2000s.

Pat Robertson, American conservative televangelist, is dead

He often stirred controversy with his extremist statements, such as when he likened Muslims to Nazis in 2002 following the World Trade Center attacks, or when he called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2005, accusing him of funding Osama bin Laden.