Pope Francis I


Pope Francis I, the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City, died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at age 88, due to a cerebral stroke and cardiocirculatory collapse.

The first Pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit Pope, and the first to take the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, his papacy was marked by deep concern for the poor, migrants, and refugees.

He was buried on April 26, 2025, in a simple tomb at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, reflecting the humility that shaped his life and leadership.


Basic Facts


  • 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.   
  • Born – December 17, 1936 (Buenos Aires, Argentina).
  • Original Name – Jorge Mario Bergoglio.   
  • First Jesuit Pope.  
  • First non-European Pope in over 1,200 years. (The last non-European pope was Gregory III (Syrian) in 741)
  • First Pope from the Americas.
  • First Pope from the Southern Hemisphere.
  • First Latin American Pope.
  • Papacy Began – March 13, 2013.   
  • Predecessor – Pope Benedict XVI.   
  • The Pope who canonized Mother Theresa – Pope Francis I (September 4, 2016).
  • Kerala Saints Canonized by Pope Francis I – 
    • Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara & Sister Euphrasia Eluvathingal (November 23, 2014)
    • Sister Mariam Thresia (October 13, 2019)   
    • Devasahayam Pillai (May 15, 2022)   
      • First Indian Layman Canonized – Devasahayam Pillai.   

  • Autobiography/Memoirs – 
    • Life: My Story Through History (2024)   
    • Hope: Conversations with Francesca Ambrogetti and Sergio Rubin. (2013) (a book of interviews from before he was pope, and is not technically his autobiography)
      • à´ª്à´°à´¤്à´¯ാà´¶ (Prathyasha) is the Malayalam translation of Hope translated by Tom Mathew.


Key Accomplishments and Notable Actions



  • Major Papal Documents (Encyclicals and Apostolic Exhortations):
    1. Lumen fidei (The Light of Faith, 2013, largely drafted by Benedict XVI, but completed by Francis)
    2. Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, 2013, Apostolic Exhortation)   
    3. Laudato si' (Praise Be To You, 2015, on care for our common home)   
    4. Amoris laetitia (The Joy of Love, 2016, Apostolic Exhortation on family life)   
    5. Gaudete et exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad, 2018, Apostolic Exhortation on the call to holiness)   
    6. Fratelli tutti (All Brothers, 2020, on fraternity and social friendship)   

  • Major Synods:
    1. Two Synods on the Family (2014, 2015)   
    2. Synod on Youth (2018)   
    3. Synod on the Amazon (2019)   
    4. Synod on Synodality (2021-2024)   

  • Canonization – Has canonized a large number of saints (946), significantly streamlining the process and emphasizing saints from diverse backgrounds. Major Figures including Mother Teresa & Pope John Paul II.
  • Vatican Reform – Significant efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy, focusing on transparency, financial accountability, and decentralization.   
  • Emphasis on Mercy and Pastoral Outreach – Strong emphasis on God's mercy and a pastoral approach to those on the margins of society.   
  • Interfaith Dialogue – Active promotion of interfaith dialogue, particularly with Muslim and Jewish leaders.   
  • Focus on the Poor and Social Justice – Repeated calls for addressing poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation.   
  • Increased Lay Involvement – Actively pushing for more lay involvement within the church.
  • Global Travel – Extensive international travel, often to places of conflict or poverty. 


Vatican City


  • Area – 0.49 sq. km.
  • The smallest country in the world.
  • The smallest fully independent nation-state in the world.
  • Location – enclaved within Rome, Italy.
  • Founded in – Officially established as an independent state on February 11, 1929, through the Lateran Treaty signed with Italy.
  • Currency – Euro.
  • Head of State – The Pope.
  • The residence of the spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.
  • Governing Body – Governed by the Holy See, the universal government of the Catholic Church.
  • Population – approx. 800 people.
  • No Separate Citizenship – Citizenship is generally granted to people who live and work in Vatican City (mostly clergy and Swiss Guards).
  • The world’s smallest army, responsible for the safety of the Pope and Vatican City – Swiss Guard.
    • The oldest, continuously operating military force in the world – Swiss Guard.
  • The entire Vatican City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
  • A country without any rivers or lakes.
  • Famous Buildings/Sites – St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel.

SideNotes:
  • The Eternal City – Rome.
  • The City of Seven Hills – Rome.
  • The first saint from Kerala – St. Alphonsa.
    • canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. 
  • The last Pope to visit India – John Paul II.
  • The first Pope to be buried outside the Vatican – Leo XIII.
  • The cardinal who became the 267th Pope of Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis – Leo XIV.
    • of the Augustinian order.
  • The first Pope from the United States of America – Leo XIV.

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