His Holiness Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first from the Americas, passed away peacefully on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025 at 7.35 a.m. Vatican time. He was 88.
Admired around the world for his humility, moral clarity, and deep compassion, Pope Francis reshaped the papacy for the 21st century – championing the marginalized, challenging injustice, and calling all people to care for one another and the planet we share.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the son of Italian immigrants and trained as a chemist before entering the Society of Jesus in 1958. Ordained a priest in 1969, he rose steadily through the ranks of the Church, becoming Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and a cardinal in 2001.
Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013 – the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to lead the Church. His choice of the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, signaled a papacy rooted in humility, simplicity, and a love for the poor and creation.
In his twelve years as pope, Francis transformed the image and tone of the Church. He lived modestly, rejected lavish trappings, and often used his platform to speak on behalf of the voiceless. His leadership style was pastoral, not princely – firm yet gentle, traditional yet open-hearted.
He promoted interfaith dialogue and mutual respect among Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other faiths, becoming a global symbol of unity and reconciliation. His 2015 encyclical Laudato si’ galvanized a new moral movement for climate action, urging care for “our common home” and holding world leaders accountable for ecological harm.
Pope Francis also worked to heal wounds within the Church, acknowledging the pain of sexual abuse survivors and advocating for reforms, transparency, and justice. His more merciful tone on sensitive issues such as divorce, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and clerical celibacy marked a notable shift from doctrinal rigidity to pastoral outreach.
Even in declining health, he remained active and vocal, urging peace amid war, compassion amid crisis, and faith amid uncertainty. His final years were marked by a quiet resilience and steadfast commitment to the mission he once defined simply as “building bridges.”
Pope Francis is mourned by more than a billion Catholics and countless others who, regardless of faith, saw in him a beacon of hope, love, and decency.
As the bells of St. Peter’s toll, the world bids farewell to a servant leader—gentle yet unshakable, a shepherd who walked with his flock, and a voice that called us all to be better.
