‘People's Pope' Pope Francis is no more
Pope Francis, affectionately called the People's Pope, is no more.
He became the pope in 2013 under very unusual circumstances -- Pope Benedict XVI resigned on February 28th, 2013 citing a 'lack of strength of mind and body' due to his age.
This resignation was a first by a Pope in the last 600 years. All other popes have died in office since 1415.
Pope Francis was the first-ever Latin American pope. He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Italian immigrants.
He was outspoken about his beliefs.
In his Christmas speech in 2024, he denounced the 'extremely grave' humanitarian situation in Gaza and appealed for the release of captives and a ceasefire in the war-torn coastal enclave.
'I think of the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, particularly in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely grave. May there be a ceasefire, may the hostages be released and aid be given to the people worn out by hunger and by war,' he said. He also appealed for peace in Ukraine and Sudan.
His progressive attitude towards issues concerning women and the LGBT+ community marked a shift in the position of the Catholic church.
In 2023, the Vatican approved a landmark ruling to allow Roman Catholic priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples under certain conditions.
A document from the Vatican's doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis said such blessings are a 'sign that God welcomes all.'
In another instance, he replied to a question on gay priests at the Vatican by saying, 'If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, well who am I to judge them?'
He endeared the masses when he rejected wealth and by choosing to live in a Vatican guesthouse and driving around in a donated 1984 manual transmission Renault. He embraced social media and amassed over 28 million followers on Instagram and X.
He once said, 'To paint the pope as some sort of a Superman, a star, is offensive. The pope is a man who laughs, cries, sleeps calmly, and has friends as everyone else. A normal person.'
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