The world mourns Pope Francis at his transitus—a word rich in meaning and familiar to the Church and the Franciscan spiritual tradition to describe one’s passing. His death, no doubt, marks the end of a remarkable era.
He leaves behind a great legacy. Pope Francis has many firsts to his credit: the first Latin American Pope, the first Jesuit to become the successor of Peter, the first to assume the name of one of the world’s most beloved saints, St. Francis of Assisi, and the first Pope to publish a candid autobiography.
When his wish to be buried in the Basilica of Mary Major is fulfilled, he will be the first Pope in recent times to be buried outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Third only to Pope Leo XIII and the 7th-century Pope Agathon, the 88-year-old Francis is the second-oldest Pope in history. Pope Benedict XVI, who died at the age of 95, had stepped down at 85.
We bow our heads in respect to the memory of Pope Francis. After the initial difficulty in pronouncing his name, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, people warmed to him from the moment he appeared on March 13, 2013, as the freshly elected Pope on the balcony of St. Peter’s, in simple white vestments, head bowed, asking people to pray for him and bless him before he would bless them.
Like his predecessors, Pope Francis leaves his own distinct mark on the Church and the world. He brought about major curia reforms in the Vatican and initiated a worldwide consultation in the Church called the Synod on Synodality.
His aim was to make the Church more focused and committed to its mission and to give concrete expression to the vision of Vatican II and its call for renewal, expressed in the Latin phrase ecclesia semper reformanda—“the Church must always be reformed.”
During the conclave, when it became apparent that Cardinal Bergoglio would be the next Pope, Brazilian Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, a Franciscan and champion of the poor, whispered to him, “Do not forget the poor.”
Bergoglio was immediately inspired by the thought of assuming the name Francis, and he remained a champion of the poor, consistently reminding the Church to eschew all forms of opulence and luxury and to live and witness to the Gospel of simplicity, poverty, and service to the poor.
He truly lived the role of the Pope as one who “presides over charity.” He wanted to be with the poor—in word and in deed.
His many teachings and actions as Pope indicated his wholehearted commitment to the cause of the poor. He reminded everyone of the need to build a Church that places the poor at its heart—making it like a field hospital, less self-referential, and concerned for migrants and refugees, the homeless, those in prison, and victims of war and violence. Even a day before his death, his appeal for peace and an end to violence was conveyed during his Easter Sunday message.
His frequent use of the word “periphery” led some to refer to him as the “Pope of the Periphery.” His numerous apostolic visits to far-flung regions and small churches in countries like Mongolia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Japan, Sudan, and Burkina Faso were concrete expressions of reaching out to the margins.
Beyond the Church, Francis was loved by all sectors of society for his deep commitment to the environment, which he called “our common home.” His groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’, subtitled On Care for Our Common Home, was published in 2015.
In it, the Pope criticized consumerism and irresponsible economic development, lamented environmental degradation and global warming, and called on all people to take “swift and unified global action.”
In 2023, he published a sequel in the form of an Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum. In this document, he warned: “With the passage of time, I have realized that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point… the impact of climate change will increasingly prejudice the lives and families of many persons.”
He made frequent and passionate pleas to world leaders to do more to mitigate climate change and care for our common home. Under his leadership, Laudato Si’ became a global movement. Together with his commitment to Indigenous Peoples—major victims of climate change—he touched the conscience of the world.
Having known the ravages of war at close quarters, he championed peace and reconciliation, calling for an end to the arms race and violence. His autobiography Hope is filled with his anguish over a world at war. His appeals for peace were clear and consistent.
He used his office to be a peacebuilder, urging warring nations to negotiate, meeting their leaders, sending emissaries, and encouraging the world to pray for peace. Even as conflicts continue to rage in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and his native Latin America, his appeal to global consciences remains. Instead of despair, he calls us to seek mercy and forgiveness and to live in the hope that comes from God—a hope that does not disappoint.
He assiduously cultivated fraternal relations with other churches and promoted unity and ecumenical collaboration. He invited over a dozen fraternal delegates to participate in the Synod on Synodality. He worked jointly with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and other Church leaders to promote peace in Sudan and beyond.
He also pursued cordial relationships with leaders of major religions, including Islam. In February 2019, he signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in Abu Dhabi with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb. In 2024, during his visit to Indonesia, he blessed the “Tunnel of Friendship” linking the Istiqlal Mosque with St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral in Jakarta, to promote interfaith bonds.
Pope Francis has also faced criticism from within and outside the Church. He was criticized for his statements on LGBTQ persons and the divorced, for his curial reforms, his vision of pluralism, his restriction on the traditional Latin Mass, and his appeal to welcome migrants and refugees.
Some Church leaders opposed his dream of a synodal Church, his advocacy for greater roles for women and the laity, his interpretation of the sensus fidelium, and his administrative and financial reforms.
Having met Pope Francis several times, my impressions of him are vivid and memorable. He is very personal, looks directly into your eyes, and exudes warmth and a smile. He is totally attentive to the moment and to the person before him.
He is infinitely patient, with no air of hurry or busyness in his interactions. His doors are open to all, and he is completely nonjudgmental. Remember his words: “Who am I to judge?” In an interview with Antonio Spadaro, when asked, “Who is Jorge Bergoglio?” he replied, “I am a sinner.”
The word “encounter” is one of his favorites. Even in a crowd, his gaze is on individuals—the children, the youth, the ordinary person before him. His humility and simplicity, his spontaneity and approachability, are unmistakable.
Pope Francis is bowing out during this special Jubilee Year of Hope, which he led from the front even while braving serious health issues.
As the world bids farewell to this Good Pastor Pope, his enduring message to the Church and to the world is to continue this journey as “Pilgrims of Hope” and to follow the path of peace and mercy shown by Christ, the Good Shepherd.
Fr. George Plathottam SDB is a Consultant to the Department of Communication of the Vatican. Until recently, he served as the Executive Secretary of the Office of Social Communication of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). He is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco and is based in Guwahati, Assam.
