Pope Francis, key moments of the pontificate of the 266th pope

Pope Francis, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was elected pope on March 13, 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He is the first pope from the Americas and the southern hemisphere. He passed away on April 21, 2025 in Rome, on Easter Monday.

During his twelve years as pope, Pope Francis has regularly opposed “traditionalists,” taking strong positions, especially on the issue of homosexuality. “Being homosexual is not a crime. It is not a crime. Yes, but it is a sin,” he declared in 2023. On many occasions, the Holy Father stood up for Christian tolerance, reminding that no one should be judged and that we should be good to everyone. In the months before his death, he had spoken out against the expulsion of migrants in the United States, denouncing an infringement on the dignity of individuals.

In 2023, he also called on bishops not to cover up the sex scandals that have tarnished the church. “Evil cannot be hidden, evil must be revealed to the light of day, whether the aggressor is known, whether they are a layperson or a bishop,” demanded Pope Francis during a large mass in Brussels.

France will remember his visits to Marseille in September 2023 and Corsica in December 2024.

He was hospitalized on February 14, 2025 for double pneumonia for over a month. Still very weak, the day before his death, he made a surprise appearance among thousands of faithful gathered to celebrate Easter in Saint Peter’s Square. From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis gave his traditional blessing “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world). “Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” he said, in a breathless voice to the cheering crowd.

Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, 2025.