In a series of notable milestones, Jorge Mario Bergoglioโs life marked the transformation of a devoted Argentine religious leader into Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as the firstborn of five children to Italian immigrant parents, Mario Jose Bergoglio and Regina Marรญa Sรญvori. He entered the priesthood on December 13, 1969, as a member of the Jesuit order, where he played a significant leadership role during Argentinaโs oppressive regime in the 1970s.
On May 20, 1992, Bergoglio was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, and in 1998, he ascended to the position of archbishop, succeeding Cardinal Antonio Quarracino. His influence grew when he was elevated to cardinal by Pope John Paul II on February 21, 2001.
In May 2007, he helped craft the essential guidelines of the Latin American bishopsโ conference in Brazil, which would eventually reflect his priorities as popeโfocusing on aiding the poor and indigenous while advocating for environmental care. On March 13, 2013, Bergoglio was elected as the 266th pope, making history as the first pontiff from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to adopt the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi.
Pope Francis soon instigated significant organizational changes, forming a group of eight cardinals worldwide by April 13, 2013, to reshape church governance and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies. His papacy quickly led to numerous canonizations starting May 12, 2013, when the โMartyrs of Otrantoโ were recognized, contributing to a significant increase in sainthood declarations.
The popeโs commitment to addressing global indifference was evident during his inaugural trip to Lampedusa in July 2013, where he advocated for refugees. That month, he also initiated a more inclusive church stance towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Publishing Evangelii Gaudium in November 2013, he criticized the global economic systems for neglecting the poor and emphasized the Eucharistโs inclusive nature. He took a strong stance for peace by visiting the Israeli-Palestinian separation wall in May 2014 and later at meditation events for Middle-Eastern peace hosted in Vatican gardens.
Francis addressed abuse issues within the church by accepting Cardinal Keith OโBrienโs resignation in March 2015 amid misconduct allegations. In June of that same year, he penned the influential encyclical Laudato Si, calling for environmental reform while acknowledging the churchโs historical wrongdoings against indigenous peoples during his July 2015 Bolivia visit.
Streamlining ecclesiastical procedures, in September 2015, Francis simplified the annulment process for divorced Catholics, making remarriage in the church more accessible. A significant speech to the U.S. Congress soon followed that month, urging action on climate change and poverty.
In November 2015, Pope Francis opened the Jubilee of Mercy in Bangui, underscoring his advocacy for peace. His landmark meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in February 2016 underscored strides in Christian unity. Following this, he contested political maneuvers like border walls while visiting the U.S.-Mexico border.
Francisโ papacy was marked by compassionate gestures, such as relocating Syrian refugees from Greece to Italy in April 2016. Encounters across religious lines, like his December 2017 meeting with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, reflected his inclusive and humanitarian outreach. His efforts to overhaul church teachings included his vehement opposition to capital punishment, reflected in an August 2018 decree.
Despite facing significant challenges, like the Cardinal Theodore McCarrick abuse scandal, Francis took resolute action, leading to McCarrickโs ex-communication by February 2019. That same month, he conducted the first Vatican summit on child protection.
Pope Francis continued advocating change by issuing a law in May 2019 that mandated internal reporting of clerical sexual abuse cases, demonstrating his commitment to church reform and transparency. His environmental and cultural criticism was reiterated in October 2020 with the encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
As Francisโ health waned, marked by hospitalizations and surgeries, his leadership persevered, notably when visiting Iraq in March 2021. Yet even amidst health struggles, he remained an unwavering figure of hope for global unity and peace, extending gestures like greeting Easter observers from St. Peterโs Basilica one final time in April 2025.
On April 21, 2025, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced Pope Francis had died, marking the end of a pontificate characterized by profound humility and an enduring call for global compassion and justice.