Pope Francis, Champion of Poor People and Environment, Dies at 88

Pope Francis died on Monday after a long decline in health. He was one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most beloved and controversial pontiffs. Francis, 88, died of a stroke and heart failure at the Vatican. It's the city-state that serves as the Church’s headquarters. He passed away nearly a month after being  released from the hospital. He'd been treated for a severe respiratory illness.

Francis died the morning after his final public appearance in St. Peter’s Square. It was to bless the Easter Sunday crowd.

“(Pope Francis) taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity courage, and universal love, ” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell. He’s a top Vatican official.

Francis was Argentinian. He was the first pope from the New World. He was also the first Jesuit to hold the title. He pushed the papacy down a starkly different path than former popes. Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He chose his papal name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was the patron saint of animals and nature. As pope, Francis stressed outreach to people harmed by poverty and war. “Don’t forget the poor!” Francis is known for saying upon his election in 2013.

Francis' outreach to LGBTQ+ people is also well known. He went so far as to support the blessing of same-sex unions. He also backed the abolition of laws that make homosexuality illegal. His actions garnered supporters and enemies within and outside the Church. So did Francis’ criticisms of rampant capitalism. He called it an “economy of exclusion and inequality.”

Among Francis’ greatest achievements? His 2015 papal encyclical. He called for urgent action to address the climate crisis. Francis also performed diplomatic efforts in the name of peace.

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Photo of Pope Francis from Reuters.