Overview

• Pope Francis passed away at age 88 due to double pneumonia, marking the end of a transformative 12-year pontificate.
• He was the first non-European pope in over a millennium and the first from the Jesuit order, embracing a humble and reformist vision for the Church.
• Francis championed a 'poor church for the poor,' advocating for economic equity, migrant rights, and marginalized communities worldwide.
• His landmark 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, galvanized global climate action and influenced the Paris Agreement’s targets.
• The Vatican has entered a period of mourning and begun preparations for the conclave to elect the next pope.