Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 - world mourns!

Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 - world mourns!

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. The sad news was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a video address. Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was in office as a Pope since March 2013 and shaped the Catholic Church for a whole decade.

As an archbishop of Buenos Aires, he took up his office as a Pope in 2013 with the aim of creating a reformed and humble church. Already at his first appearance, he waived pomp and staging by warmly greeting the believers with "Buonasera" and wore a simple iron cross. This modesty run through his entire term, while he lived in the Santa Marta guest house and shared simple meals with the employees of the Vatican.

reforms and challenges

Franziskus was often perceived as an uncomfortable reformer who sharply criticized the Roman Curia and, with the term “fifteen diseases”, pointed out grievances in the church. He called for a fundamental reform of the attitudes within the church and recognized the abuse scandals late, but acted determined, for example by the abolition of the papal secret in 2019.

In questions of faith, Francis remained conservative, but was more moderate than many of his predecessors in the pitch. Despite severe resistance during his term, he campaigned for mercy by christening children of unmarried parents, for example. The discrepancy between practice and teaching could be a challenge for his successor because great pressure is exerted on reforms.

Legat and estate

Franziskus is buried in the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, simple and without pomp, which is another sign of his modest approach. While he was committed to an inclusive church, he held on to the official apprenticeship. The initiatives such as the Holy Year and the World Synod in October 2024 show his will to make changes and to end the dominance of European perspectives. Despite the challenges during his tenure, he remained a gentle voice of hope.

church historian Jörg Ernesti explains that the expectations for future popes will be high and warns of the possible difficulties that could go hand in hand with the strong position of the papacy. In the period since 1800, the papacy has changed significantly and the demands on the popes have increased. Francis ’view of reforms is expected to sustainably sustainably in the church, while his successors will be challenged to build on his achievements and at the same time react to the many pressing questions that are still unsolved.

Catholic Christianity is now at a turning point, while it looks at the influence and legacy of Pope Francis. The next steps in the Catholic Church could be shaped by the vision that he has followed over more than a decade.