The first Pope to come from the Americas was the Argentine Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936, the son of Piedmontese immigrants.

After qualifying as a chemical technician, he chose the path of the priesthood, entering the diocesan seminary. On 11 March 1958 he was accepted into the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. He completed his humanistic studies in Chile and, upon returning to Argentina, graduated in philosophy (1963) and theology (1970). On 13 December 1969 he was ordained a priest, and on 1973 he gave his perpetual vows as a Jesuit. The same year, he was appointed as provincial of the Jesuits of Argentina.

Cardinal Quarracino wanted Jorge Mario Bergoglio as his collaborator in Buenos Aires. In 1992, John Paul II appointed him titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires. On 27 June he received episcopal ordination. In 1998 he succeeded Cardinal Quarracino as archbishop, primate of Argentina, ordinary for faithful of eastern rite and grand chancellor of the Catholic University. From 2005 to 2011 he also presided over the Argentine Episcopal Conference.

In the Consistory of 21 February 2001, John Paul II created him cardinal, of the title of Saint Robert Bellarmine. Thus, in April 2005, he took part in the Conclave in which Benedict XVI was elected.

Following the latter’s resignation from the Petrine ministry, on 13 March 2013, at the age of 76, Cardinal Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church by the Cardinals gathered in Conclave. He took the name Francis in imitation of the Saint of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation”.

In his first public appearance as Pontiff, he invited the faithful to pray for him: “I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their bishop”. On 19 March 2013, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, he officially began his Petrine ministry.

Among the first acts of his pontificate was the historic visit to his Predecessor, Benedict XVI, at Castel Gandolfo. Francis periodically met with the Pope emeritus until two days before the latter’s death in 2022.

Always attentive to the least among us and those cast aside by society, from the very first Holy Thursday of his pontificate he chose to celebrate the Mass in Coena Domini outside the Vatican, visiting prisons, care homes for the disabled or centres for drug addicts. On numerous occasions, he spoke out in defence of the innocent, especially children “who are not allowed to be born” or victims of war. His love for the least among us, the elderly and children led him to establish the World Days of the Poor, of Grandparents and of Children. He also instituted the Sunday of the Word of God.

During his pontificate, he celebrated two Jubilees. With the Bull Misericordiae Vultus of 11 April 2015, Pope Francis proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee dedicated to God’s mercy. As a sign of the Church’s closeness to the Central African Republic, ravaged by civil war, the Holy Father opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Bangui. And, for the first time, the “door of mercy” was also opened in cathedrals around the world, in shrines, hospitals and prisons. For the occasion, he established the Missionaries of Mercy, to whom he entrusted the power to forgive sins normally reserved to the Pope. Nine years later, with the Bull Spes non confundit, Pope Francis convoked the Jubilee of Hope for the year 2025.

Just as a pilgrim of hope, during the twelve years of his pontificate Pope Francis visited 66 countries on all continents, undertaking 47 apostolic journeys. In his last journey – in December 2024 – he travelled to Corsica, becoming the first Pope to visit the island. In addition to his apostolic journeys, he made 40 pastoral visits to 49 different cities and towns across Italy. As Bishop of Rome, he visited 18 parishes in his diocese, concentrating primarily on the outskirts of the city. On these occasions, he spoke with priests and the faithful about pastoral themes linked to the challenges confronted by communities. With his closeness to the people, he set an example of what is asked of priests: to be shepherds “with the odour of the sheep”, pastors in the midst of their flock.

To reach everyone, including those who do not believe, Pope Francis maintained an active presence on social media, with the accounts @Pontifex and @Franciscus, through which he spoke about God’s mercy and tenderness, sowing words of hope and accompanying the daily life of millions of people all over the world.

In addition, Pope Francis exercised his Petrine ministry with tireless dedication to dialogue with Muslims and representatives of other religions, sometimes convening them for prayer meetings and signing joint declarations to promote harmony among members of different faiths, such as the Document on Human Fraternity signed on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi with the Sunni leader al-Tayyeb.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, on the evening of 27 March 2020, chose to pray alone in Saint Peter’s Square, whose colonnade symbolically embraced Rome and the world, for a humanity frightened and afflicted by the unknown disease. The image of Pope Francis praying in the rain has remained etched in history and in the hearts of many people.

The doctrinal teaching of Pope Francis was very rich. Testimony to a sober and humble style, based on openness to mission, apostolic courage and mercy, careful to avoid the danger of self-referentiality and spiritual worldliness in the Church, the Pontiff proposed his apostolic programme in the Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013).

His principal documents include four Encyclicals: Lumen fidei (29 June 2013) which addresses the theme of faith in God; Laudato si’ (24 May 2015), which relates to the care of Creation and human responsibility in the climate crisis; Fratelli tutti (3 October 2020), on human fraternity and social friendship; and Dilexit nos (24 October 2024), on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

He promulgated seven Apostolic Exhortations, 39 Apostolic Constitutions, and a vast number of Apostolic Letters, the majority of which were issued Motu Proprio, in addition to the catechesis delivered during General Audiences and the addresses given in various parts of the world.

After establishing the Secretariat for the Economy and the Dicasteries for Communication, for the Laity, Family and Life, and for Promoting Integral Human Development, Pope Francis undertook the reform of the Roman Curia to promote more effective evangelization, issuing the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium (19 March 2022). Furthermore, he amended the canonical process for cases of declaration of matrimonial nullity in the CCEO and the CIC (M.P. Mitis et misericors Iesus and Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus) and tightened legislation regarding crimes committed by members of the clergy against minors or vulnerable people (M.P. Vos estis lux mundi).

He convened five Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops: three ordinary general assemblies dedicated to the family, the young and synodality; one extraordinary assembly, also on the family; and one special assembly for the Pan-Amazon Region.

Pope Francis canonized 942 saints, 23 of whom by equivalence; and he beatified over 1500 venerable servants of God, including numerous martyrs.

More than any Predecessor, he enlarged the College of Cardinals, convening ten Consistories in which he created 163 cardinals, of whom 133 were electors and 30 non-electors, from 73 nations, of which 23 had never before had a cardinal.

The final years of his pontificate were punctuated with numerous appeals for peace, against the piecemeal third world war unfolding in various countries, especially in Ukraine, as well as in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar and several countries in Africa.

On 14 February 2025, Francis was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Hospital for a 38-day stay due to bilateral pneumonia. After his return to the Vatican, he spent the last weeks of his life at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, devoting himself to his Petrine ministry to the very end.

On Easter Sunday, on 20 April 2025, he appeared on the loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica to impart the solemn Urbi et Orbi blessing. He then wished to greet the faithful, descending into Saint Peter’s Square to caress and bless the newborns and sick children. Pope Francis thus concluded his pontificate as he had started it: together with the people of God. A few hours later, he died at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in the Vatican, on 21 April of the Holy Year 2025, Easter Monday, at 07.35.

The funeral in Saint Peter’s Square, and the entombment in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major were celebrated on Saturday 26 April 2205. The entire Christian community, especially the poor, gave praise to God for the gift of his courageous and faithful service to the Gospel and the Church.

Francis left us all an admirable testimony of humanity, holy life and universal fatherhood. His memory remains in the heart of the Church and of all humanity.