Pope Francis, the first non-European head of the Roman Catholic Church in more than a millennium, died at age 88 (article available here).
Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church’s teaching in areas such as the death penalty. He went beyond his predecessors and changed Catholic teaching to state that the death penalty is “inadmissible” in all cases, regardless of the severity of the crime. He also called life in prison without parole a “hidden death penalty” and solitary confinement a “form of torture,” saying both should be abolished.
Francis was one of the most popular popes in decades and a towering figure on the world stage, addressing not just Catholics but everyone. He was elected pope on March 13, 2013, following the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who died in December 2022.
Pope Francis was beloved for his common touch, wading into crowds, kissing babies, disabled people and disfigured individuals. He was oblivious to his aides' security fears, refusing to ride in a bulletproof popemobile. Pope Francis broke with tradition from the start, opting to live in a Vatican hotel rather than the opulent papal quarters.
The outspoken pope lent his voice to almost every modern issue facing the world, often taking the side of the marginalized and vulnerable. He spoke out against commercial exploitation of the environment, rich countries' unwillingness to accept migrants, the alienation caused by technology and the lucrative sale of weapons of war.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Italian immigrants. He was proud of his Argentine heritage: He had a particular fondness for maté, the caffeine-rich infused drink, and tango. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, a megalopolis with huge gaps between rich and poor, he stayed close to his flock in the shantytowns.