By Paul Ejime
The passing of Pope Francis, aged 88, on Easter Monday (21 April 2025) has ended a 12-year papacy marked by humility and simplicity. Less than 28 hours earlier, the ailing pontiff, nicknamed “Slum Bishop” in his native country, Argentina, struggled to bless a crowd gathered at the Vatican to celebrate Easter Sunday this year. His final words in public were: “Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Easter.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17th of December 1936, to Italian immigrants, Pope Francis took the name of the 13th-century Saint also known for his simplicity. Instead of the Apostolic Palace reserved for Popes, Francis lived in a Vatican apartment, wore his old-fashioned shoes, discarding the red loafers of the papacy, and rode in compact cars or buses, abandoning the Papal limousine.
Pope Francis was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and led the Religious Order in Argentina from 1976-83. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was elevated to Cardinal in 2001 by then-Pope John Paul II, now a Saint.
Francis was elected the 266th Pope on March 13, 2013, on the fifth ballot, after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI stepped down. He presided over the latter’s burial in December 2022.
The prelate scored several firsts, including, the first pope from the Americas, the first from the Jesuit Order; the first to take the name of Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi and the first Roman Catholic Pope to visit Iraq, where he met the country’s top Shiite Muslim cleric in 2021.
Francis made his funeral wishes ahead of time. In November 2024, he revised the traditional papal funeral rites, insisting that his would emphasise the role of a “humble bishop.”
The Master of liturgical ceremonies, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, later explained that the Vatican would be eliminating the usual requirement that the pope’s body be placed on an elevated bier in St. Peter’s Basilica to be viewed by members of the public.
“Instead, Pope Francis’ body will be placed in view at the Basilica in a simple coffin, where dignitaries and some of the faithful may pay their final respects.
“The burial itself will no longer require the three coffins crafted of cypress, lead, and oak, as is the papal tradition,” Ravelli said, explaining that this is “to emphasize even more that the Roman Pontiff’s funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world.”
Announcing his demise, the Vatican said that Francis died on Easter Monday, two months following his treatment for bronchitis at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35 am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” said Cardinal Farrell.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God,” he added.
On the night he was elected, Pope Francis and the Cardinals rode in a bus back to his hotel, instead of being driven in the papal car. The next morning, he insisted on paying the hotel bill.
During his days as an archbishop in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis earned the nickname ‘Slum Bishop,’ because of his frequent visits to crime-ridden shanty settlements. Apart from residing in a modest Vatican flat, he also cooked his meals.
His aides and associates testify that after every trip, Pope Francis would visit the Basilica, where he prayed before an image of Mary, cradling her baby son, Jesus Christ, saying: “It’s my great devotion. The place is already prepared,” in reference to his final resting place.
An advocate of the poor and migrants, Pope Francis’ first trip outside Rome in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. He denounced what he called the “globalisation of indifference” towards would-be refugees.
He also prayed for dead migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2016 and brought 12 Syrian Muslims to Rome on his plane after visiting a refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece.
Such dispositions pitted Francis against U.S. and European policies, and he was on record as telling then-U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2016 that “anyone building a wall to keep migrants out is not a Christian.”
Francis also became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document, and made care for God’s creation a hallmark of his papacy.
In 2015, Francis in an environmental manifesto “Praised Be” called for a cultural revolution to correct what he called the “structurally perverse” global economic system that exploits the poor and turns the Earth into “an immense pile of filth.”
Early in his papacy, Francis signaled a more welcoming stance towards the LGBTQ+ community, declaring: “Who am I to judge?” when asked about a gay priest. In 2023, he was quoted as saying that “Being homosexual is not a crime,” and later approved blessings for same-sex couples, provided they don’t resemble marriage vows.
A notable scandal erupted during his papacy in 2018, when he controversially criticised victims of clergy sexual abuse in Chile and sided with a bishop accused of complicity in the abuse. However, realising his mistake, Francis wasted no time in inviting the victims to the Vatican and apologised. He also brought Chilean Bishops to Rome, and pressed upon them to resign over the scandal.
Francis went on to convene a summit of the Catholic hierarchy in 2019 on abuse and made a strong statement by defrocking former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after a Vatican investigation implicated him in the abuse of minors and adults.
Furthermore, Francis approved Church laws abolishing the use of pontifical secrecy and establishing procedures to investigate bishops who abuse or cover up for predator priests. The high-profile case where Pope Francis seemed to side with accused clergy was blight, but his papacy was remarkable for his courage, simplicity, selfless and pro-poor leadership.
As World leaders mourn him, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage…” Despite their disagreements, U.S. President Trump wrote: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis,“ and in separate post, announced that flags would be flown at half-mast in the White House and other public buildings in and outside America in honour of Francis.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the late Pope as “A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, (who) dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who personally met Pope Francis three times – in 2013, 2015, and 2019 – called him a “defender” of “humanism and justice,” recalling his role in fostering ties between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.
King Charles III of England said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Pope Francis, whom he visited earlier this month with his wife, Queen Camilla.
The UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said the Pope’s “tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy.”
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Pope Francis was “a leader who connected with people and focused on contemporary global challenges.”
Nigerian President and ECOWAS Chairman Bola Tinubu described Pope Francis as “a humble servant of God, tireless champion of the poor, and guiding light for millions.”
American Cardinal Kevin Farrell has stepped in as acting head of the Vatican, and as the World looks forward to the funeral of Pope Francis and the election in two weeks of the 267th leader of the estimated 1.4 billion Catholic faithful, the Italian Football Federation cancelled all matches on Monday in honour of the late pontiff.
The election of a new pontiff is a solemn event that equally generates huge public interest, especially the anticipation of the white smoke, which signals the selection of a new Pope by the Papal Conclave or College of Cardinals.
Africa’s two candidates for a potential pope are Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, and Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, of Guinea.
Pope Francis undertook 47 international trips during his papacy, including visits to 10 African, 22 Asian, 23 European, and 12 North and South American countries.
Rest on, Holy Father, Pope Francis!
Paul Ejime is a Media/Communications Specialist and Global Affairs Analyst
