Papal It is characterized by humility, reform and global vision
Milan (Italy): The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis, 266 of the Roman Catholic Church and the first from Latin America, died at the age of 88.
The Argentine Pope, who led the number 1.3 billion Catholics in the world, died for more than a decade, in the Monastery of what the ecclesiastical Matta in the Vatican city, where he was resting after a series of health complications in recent months. The official vision did not immediately reveal the exact cause of death, but the inch was facing a number of chronic health problems, including mobility problems, partial lung loss from its youth, and the entry of modern hospitals due to respiratory infections.
Cardinal Petro Parolin, the Vatican Foreign Minister, issued a statement praised by Francis, “Francis’s extraordinary commitment to the poor, his courage to talk about uncomfortable facts, and his vision of the church that walks with the people.” Vatican officials said the funeral plans to be held in St. Boutros Basilica will be released soon.
Pap for first: Born in Jorge Mario Bergolio in Buenos Aires in 1936, Pope Francis made history in 2013 when he became the first Pope of Jesuit, the first of the Americas, and the first non -European back in more than 1,200 years. The name “Francis” took in honor of Saint Francis from Asisi, symbolizing his vision of the most simple, modest church, closer to the poor and marginalized.
From the start, Francis put a new tone in the Vatican. He rejected the traditional papal apartments of a modest hospitality skill, choosing simple clothes, and riding them in small fians instead of the papal limozine, stressed the service on the situation.
“I want a poor church for the poor,” announced early on its papacy – and spent the next 12 years in an attempt to raise the level of that call.
In a world where war, displacement, and rising division remain, Pope Francis stood up to the believers and the world of observation to deliver a message rooted in the leadership of the most extreme gospel: peace. On Easter on Sunday, under the wonderful Roman sky, with the Church of St. Peter as a background and tens of thousands packed in the iconic scene, the 88 -year -old called for a global commitment renewed to human dignity, mercy and violence.
Despite the weight of age and the study of modern hospitals, Pope Francis looked calm and firm. His voice, despite his alleviation of age, was carrying an unambiguous moral authority because he delivered the blessing (to Medina and the world). “Let’s cry for peace rises from every corner of the earth,” declared, drawing applause and official gestures from the crowd. “Let the hearts open, and dialogue may prevail over arms, and mercy on indifference.”
The title, which was traditionally delivered at Christmas and Easter, is a spiritual reflection and a political statement. This year, the Pope’s message was particularly influential, indicating conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and the ongoing humanitarian crises in areas that forget the Western media. He said: “For those who suffer from the shadow of war, for those who are going down and women, the emerging light of Christ may be a promise to a new life.”
International sponsor: Francis’s papal was defined by unavoidable focus on social justice, peace and environmental supervision. He was an audio critic of consumer capitalism, arms trade, and political indifference to the suffering of immigrants and the poor. Laudato Si was welcomed in the 2015 climate change as a historical moment, not only in church education but in global conversation about the environment.
He traveled widely – more than any chapter in modern history – coming out to the outskirts of the world, including the visits of Myanmar, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Mongolia. His trips often included communicating with non -Christian societies and religious leaders, which reflects his strong commitment to dialogue with Islam, Judaism and other religions.
One of his strongest gestures came in 2019 when he knelt and before the feet of South Sudan leaders during peace talks, and begged them to end the civil conflict. It was a moment of raw humility that covers the papacy.
The hero of the marginalized: Francis’s vision of the church was comprehensive and merciful. He repeatedly spoke about welcoming LGBTQ+, divorced Catholics, and those who have long felt isolated from the church’s life. While he did not turn the doctrine of the traditional church, his approach was significantly pastoral.
“Who am I to rule?” The famous in 2013 answered when asked about gay priests – sharp echo words around the world.
He also took historical steps towards a greater inclusion of women in the church decision -making operations, appointing women to the main Vatican functions for the first time and opening discussions on the possibility of female deacons.
The Synod was seen on the Synod, which was launched in 2021, as an attempt to re -conceive the church mainly by listening to the voices of ordinary Catholics, including secularists and minorities, all over the world.
Critics and challenges: While admiration is widely on the world stage, Francis’s papal was not indisputably. The traditional factions inside the church accused him of undermining doctrines and sowing confusion. His decision to limit the use of the Latin mass in 2021 has sparked strong criticism from conservative groups.
He also faced pressure on dealing with the church with the sexual assault on the Bible, a crisis preceded by Pontvott, but it continued during his reign. Although he enacted new protocols for accountability and transparency, critics have argued that measures were not going away enough to punish high -level perpetrators or provide justice to survivors.
However, through the turmoil, Francis remained focused on his basic mission: mercy. He said in many cases: “The name of God is mercy”, and his vision has never been excused from the poor, the forgotten, and the exclusion.
Nice power: Despite the low health in his last years, Pope Francis remained active, continued to write, conduct interviews, and appoint main church officials. In 2023, he presided over the first stage of the Synod, describing it as “the most important moment in the church to listen for decades.”
Francis has long said that he would resign if his health prevented him from being effectively judging. But he remained in his position to the end, supported prayer and supported millions of believers.
In his last year, weeks before his death, he delivered a short blessing from his wheelchair in Saint Peter Square. His voice was weak, but he was clear: “Pray for me. And let us walk together in hope.”
With the death of the Pope, the Catholic Church is now entering a period of SEDE VACANTE – the vacant seat. The Cardinals College, many of whom were appointed by Francis himself, will be called to Rome to pick up to elect the next Pope.
Francis heritage will undoubtedly make this decision. Leave behind a church that has turned – more universal, more diverse and more involved in urgent issues in the world. Whether his reforms will continue or decline now depend on his successor.
For millions, Francis will not fade easily. He was the sponsor of the parties, a voice of one of the vocal, and the Pope who asked the world to see Christ in the most unexpected places – among refugees, in prisoners, in the poor, and in those whom society ignored.
While the bells of St. Peter were in mourning, the world offers goodbye to a humble servant of peace, a door for the people, and a shepherd dared to dream with a more compassionate church.
Look forward: As the world continues to face environmental collapse, economic uncertainty, and spiritual confusion, Pope Francis remains a voice of conscience. Whether the treatment of world leaders in the United Nations, the call to the people of the original Amazon, or the blessing of the believers from a wheelchair, its leadership challenges the world to imagine something different: the culture of global care, solidarity and peace.
Francis’s Easter message was not just the Babylonian declaration – it was an appeal, a prayer and a prophecy. “The grave is empty,” he said. “I have conquered love. Let’s not be afraid to start again.”