Pope Francis

Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was the head of the Catholic Church and the sovereign of Vatican City from 2013 until his passing in 2025. He made history as the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order), the first from Latin America, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope born or raised outside of Europe since Gregory III in the 8th century.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio felt a calling to the Jesuit Order in 1958 after recovering from a serious illness. He was ordained as a priest in 1969, later becoming the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina between 1973 and 1979. In 1998, he became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and was appointed a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

When Pope Benedict XVI resigned on 28 February 2013, Bergoglio was elected as his successor on 13 March. He chose the papal name Francis in homage to Saint Francis of Assisi. Throughout his papacy, Francis was recognised for his humility, his emphasis on mercy, his global visibility, and his focus on interreligious dialogue. He was also known for his outreach to the poor and his unconventional approach to the papacy, opting to live in the guesthouse of the Vatican instead of the traditional papal apartments.

A champion of social justice, Francis advocated for greater inclusion of women within the Vatican and encouraged a more welcoming stance toward the LGBTQ community, although he upheld the Church's position on same-sex unions. He was critical of modern economic systems, consumerism, and environmental degradation, and made climate change a central issue during his papacy. He also strongly opposed the death penalty, declaring it intrinsically wrong and committing the Church to its abolition.

On the international stage, Francis spoke out against right-wing populism, advocated for the decriminalization of homosexuality, and played a key role in normalizing relations between the U.S. and Cuba. He also helped the Chinese government and the Catholic Church reach an agreement on the appointment of bishops. Francis was a vocal supporter of refugees and immigrants, calling their protection a "duty of civilization" and criticizing anti-immigration rhetoric, particularly from political figures like U.S. President Donald Trump. In 2022, he issued a formal apology for the Church's historical role in the cultural genocide of Canadian Indigenous peoples.

One of his most significant actions was convening the Synod on Synodality, which many regarded as the defining moment of his papacy, akin to the Second Vatican Council in its importance for the Church.

Francis passed away on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke and an irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, just a day before his death.