Francis: The People's Pope—A Legacy of Humility and Hope

On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the world bid farewell to Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 in his residence at the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. His death followed a period of hospitalization due to double pneumonia, yet he made a final public appearance on Easter Sunday, greeting the faithful in St. Peter's Square. As the first Latin American and Jesuit pope, his papacy was marked by a commitment to humility, social justice, and environmental stewardship.

Early Life and Background

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the eldest of five children in a family of Italian immigrants. His father, Mario, worked as a railway accountant, and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker. Bergoglio's early life was characterized by modesty and a strong work ethic. He earned a diploma as a chemical technician and worked in various jobs, including as a nightclub bouncer and janitor, before feeling a calling to the priesthood.

Religious Calling and Jesuit Formation

In 1958, Bergoglio entered the Society of Jesus, drawn by its emphasis on education, missionary work, and social justice. He was ordained a priest in 1969 and took on various roles within the Jesuit community, including serving as the provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. His leadership during this tumultuous period in Argentina's history was marked by a focus on humility and service.

Rise Through the Church Hierarchy

Bergoglio's ascent within the Catholic Church continued as he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, and later became the Archbishop in 1998. In 2001, Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals. As Archbishop, he was known for his austere lifestyle, choosing to live in a simple apartment and often taking public transportation. His pastoral approach emphasized closeness to the people and advocacy for the poor.

The Unexpected Conclave: Pope Francis is Chosen

The year was 2013. The papal throne was unexpectedly vacant after Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign. The Church was mired in crises—sexual abuse scandals, corruption in the Vatican Bank, and a growing disconnect with the modern world. The faithful were divided. Trust was shattered.

On March 13, 2013, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel. The new pope was announced: Jorge Mario Bergoglio. The first Jesuit. The first from the Americas. The first to take the name Francis.

He stepped out on that balcony not in regal robes, but in simple white. No golden cross. No lofty speech. Just this: "Buonasera." The crowd roared. The world took a breath. This wasn’t just a new pope. This was a new path.

A Pope of the People

Francis turned the papacy inside out. He rejected the lavish Papal Palace, choosing instead to live in the modest guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta. He rode a Ford Focus. He made personal phone calls to strangers who wrote him letters. He washed the feet of Muslim and female prisoners during Holy Week.

He lived what he preached:

Mercy over judgment
Simplicity over status
Dialogue over division

To the rich, he said, “You cannot serve both God and money.” To politicians, he called for justice and dignity for all people. To the LGBTQ+ community, he asked, “Who am I to judge?”

In every gesture, he was calling the Church back to its roots—not to rules, but to radical love.

Social Justice: His Sacred Mission

Francis didn’t just dabble in social issues—he made them central to his papacy. He stood in solidarity with refugees and migrants, visiting camps and calling for open hearts and borders. He decried income inequality and the exploitation of the poor. He called capitalism without conscience a "new tyranny." He challenged world leaders to create economies that serve people, not profits.

His encyclical Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) set the tone: a Church that is bruised, hurting, and dirty from being out in the streets is better than one that is stuck in its own walls.

Laudato Si’: The Pope Goes Green

In 2015, Francis dropped a climate bombshell: Laudato Si’, his encyclical on the environment. It wasn’t just a call for eco-awareness. It was a fierce indictment of global apathy. He linked climate change directly to human suffering and made it a moral issue, not just a scientific one.

"The Earth, our common home, is like a sister with whom we share our life... This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her."

He wasn't preaching to Catholics alone—he was challenging everyone. Laudato Si’ became a rallying cry for environmental justice. It was the gospel of green.

Interfaith and Global Outreach

Pope Francis believed in bridges, not walls. He visited the Holy Land and prayed alongside Jewish and Muslim leaders. He met with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, restoring Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He traveled to Myanmar and Bangladesh, speaking out for the persecuted Rohingya. He brokered a historic thaw between the U.S. and Cuba. And in 2021, he made a bold visit to war-torn Iraq, meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

Reforms, Resistance, and the War Within

Inside the Vatican, not everyone was on board. His push to reform the Curia met fierce opposition. His pastoral approach to divorced Catholics and same-sex couples sparked internal dissent. His openness to synodality rattled traditionalists. He was accused of being too political, too progressive, too lenient. Yet Francis held the line.

The Final Years: Slowing Down, Speaking Louder

As the 2020s unfolded, Francis began to visibly slow down. He relied more on a wheelchair and faced recurring health issues. Still, he continued to write, speak, and travel. He prioritized synodality, inclusivity, and peace advocacy. In many ways, Francis became even bolder with age.

The Final Days and His Death

In April 2025, Pope Francis succumbed to pneumonia. On Easter Sunday, he appeared for one final blessing. On April 21, 2025, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. The Vatican stated: "He returned to the Father he served with joy and mercy."

Global Reaction: Grief with Grace

Leaders and laypeople alike mourned his passing. From the Dalai Lama to the President of the United States, tributes poured in. Social media filled with images of candles and prayers. The world had lost a moral compass, a voice of the voiceless.

His Funeral and the World’s Farewell

The funeral was held in St. Peter’s Square. Per his request, it was simple. Refugees, climate activists, and nuns stood front row. His casket bore the inscription: "I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon."

Pope Francis: An Autobiography (Key Moments from His Life)

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires.Joined the Society of Jesus in 1958; ordained in 1969.
Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998; Cardinal in 2001.
Elected Pope in 2013; the first Jesuit and Latin American pope.
Died April 21, 2025, aged 88.

Legacy: The Soul of a Revolutionary

Pope Francis was not perfect. But he cracked open the stone walls of centuries-old systems and let in the light. His was not just a papacy—it was a movement. He didn’t just change the Church. He changed the way the Church changes.