Who was Pope Francis? Beloved pontiff passes away at 88

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, died at the age of 88 on Monday (Apr 21). The pontiff spent about five weeks in hospital battling against pneumonia for five weeks, but was discharged on March 23 after his health improved.

The demise of the pontiff, who was the first Latin American pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, comes after a 12-year papacy.

Just a day earlier on Sunday (Apr 20), the Pope made a public appearance on the occasion of Easter, where 35,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square to hear his message. As per tradition, he delivered the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, which means “to the city and the world.”

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Pope Francis’ last message was read aloud by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, in which he called for peace in war-torn regions like Gaza, Ukraine, Congo and Myanmar.

Who was Pope Francis?

Born in December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was a prominent figure across the Americas, yet was known for his simplicity and deeply loved by his diocese.

Pope Francis was the first pope from South America and the first from the Jesuit order. He brought several reforms to the church and promoted unity between Catholics, non-Catholics and non-Christians.

The pontiff often said, “My people are poor, and I am one of them.” He lived in an apartment and cooked his own meals. Pope Francis believed that “trampling upon a person’s dignity is a serious sin” and always advised his priests to show mercy and apostolic courage.

He was born into a family of Italian immigrants—his father, Mario, was an accountant employed by the railways, while his mother, Regina Sivori, was a dedicated wife who raised him and his four siblings.

Pope Francis' journey of priesthood

A chemical technician, Pope Francis chose the path of priesthood and entered the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. In 1958, he joined the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.

He then turned to academics and studied humanities in Chile. After this, he returned to Argentina in 1963, where he completed a degree in philosophy. For the next three years, he taught literature and psychology while studying theology.

In December 1969, he was ordained a priest and took his final vows in the Jesuit order in 1973. In 1973, he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina, where he remained for the next six years.

A military coup happened in Argentina in 1976 when he was the head of the country’s Jesuits, during which he helped several people hide from authorities and even assisted some to escape the country. However, he faced controversy for failing to protect two Jesuit priests who went missing but were later found alive after five months.

He resumed teaching in 1980 and went on to pursue theology in Germany in 1986. In 1992, he was appointed as the Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires. He was raised to the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was declared a Cardinal in 2001.

Pope's advocacy of social causes

Pope Francis was an outspoken advocate for the poor and promoted the church’s position in social matters with government officials.

He asked his followers not to come to Rome to celebrate his naming as Cardinal, but rather to offer to the poor on their journey during the economic crisis in Argentina in the late 1990s.

Watch | Pope Francis death: Final appearance on Easter Sunday before his death | Watch moment

Despite gaining popularity in Latin America, rather than living in the archbishop’s residence, Pope Francis lived in a simple downtown apartment and travels by public transportation or on foot.

In 2013, he was elected as the Supreme Pontiff and held the position until he passed away on Monday (Apr 21).