Manuel Sánchez Hurtado / EditoRed
“This morning, April 21, at 7:35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house.” With these words, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis.
After a month in the Gemelli Hospital with pneumonia and a gradual return to the Vatican, the after-effects of the illness finally took over. Yesterday, Easter Sunday, we saw him for the last time in a meaningful gesture: he chose to be present in St. Peter’s Square, as if bidding farewell to the people of God. From his car, he blessed the crowd on the Via della Conciliazione, offering a final act of generosity that sums up his life well: an existence completely dedicated to others. Visibly weakened, he imparted the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. He will be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in a simple ceremony, according to his wishes. The conclave to elect his successor will be held in 15 to 20 days.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Latin American Jesuit pontiff. During his 12-year pontificate, he promoted a Church closer to the most needy, addressing issues such as poverty, social justice, ecology, and the reform of the Roman Curia.
Among his main documents are the encyclicals Laudato si’, Fratelli tutti, and Dilexit nos, as well as the apostolic exhortations Evangelii gaudium, Amoris laetitia, and Querida Amazonia, among others. He made 47 apostolic journeys to 66 countries, including visits to Brazil, the Holy Land, the United States, Iraq, and the Amazon.
An unique magisterium
Francis leaves a distinct legacy, but one that is fully consistent with the mission of his predecessors. If John Paul II came from the world of ethics and Benedict XVI from that of academic theology, Francis offered a teaching born from the streets, from direct contact with the Argentine people and the poorest neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. His style, his priorities, his words, were born from that daily encounter with the pain and hope of the least fortunate.
However, the biographical differences did not diminish the depth of his teaching. On the contrary, they made it more relatable, more challenging, more relevant. Francis reminded us that Jesus Christ was an uncomfortable figure, one who also made the powerful of his time uncomfortable. He forced us to look at the margins, at those whom the world excludes, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or origin.
Continuity in newness
His teaching forcefully echoed what John Paul II had already expressed in Redemptor Hominis (1979): “Jesus Christ… is the way to every man.” Based on this conviction, Francis’s pontificate was courageous, even countercultural. Despite criticism and misunderstandings, he never ceased to speak clearly. And although his words sometimes required qualification or explanation, he never lost sight of the objective: a Church that walks with the world, without being dragged along by it.
Key contributions: ecology, technology, and culture
Among the most representative documents of his pontificate, Evangelii Gaudium (2013) and Amoris Laetitia (2016) well summarize his pastoral zeal and his most urgent concerns. But it is also impossible to forget the powerful Laudato Si’ (2015), an encyclical that changed the way the Church speaks about ecology. Francis reminded us that caring for human life and protecting the planet are inseparable. He proposed an integral ecology, open to dialogue with believers and non-believers, scientists and politicians, all called to the wise stewardship of our common home.
Another surprise was his intervention in the field of Artificial Intelligence. With great intuition, Francis promoted an ethical, responsible, and profoundly human approach to the use of these technologies. In documents such as Antiqua et Nova or in speeches such as the one at the G7 in Puglia, he emphasized that AI is a tool at the service of the common good, which must be integrated into a project of supportive development, without exclusions or discrimination.
Integral humanism
Francis also advocated a unified culture, where science and the humanities dialogue without fear. He expressed this clearly in Veritatis Gaudium and exemplified it in writings such as Candor Lucis Aeternae (2021), on Dante, and his Letter on Literature in Education (2024), addressed to all the faithful. For Francis, speaking of God also implies speaking with beauty, with depth, with a sensitivity that touches the heart.
His literary teaching was informed not so much by philosophers as by authors who challenge the soul: Pascal, Bernanos, Saint-Exupéry, Kafka, Tolstoy… In them, he sought a pedagogy of the heart. Because for him, the heart is not just a symbol: it is a source of knowledge, a place where we understand who we are and what we are called to be. This is what he taught in Dilexit Nos (2024), one of his last reflections.
The entire world mourns the death of a Pope who left a profound mark due to his closeness to the existential peripheries and his commitment to a Church that moves forward.
And now what?
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the Catholic Church is preparing for the conclave that will elect his successor. This process, which will begin 15 to 20 days after his death, will be held in the Sistine Chapel and will include the participation of up to 120 cardinals under the age of 80, who will remain isolated until a decision is reached.
Who could be the next Pope?
Although any baptized male is eligible, traditionally a cardinal is elected. Among the names most mentioned by the press and analysts are:
Pietro Parolin (Italy, 70): Vatican Secretary of State, renowned for his diplomatic and administrative experience.
Matteo Maria Zuppi (Italy, 69): Archbishop of Bologna, known for his pastoral work and conflict mediation.
Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines, 67): Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, noted for his closeness to the poor.
Robert Sarah (Guinea, 79): Former Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship.
It is important to note that, although these names are considered “papable,” history has shown that the conclave can surprise with unexpected elections.
How does the conclave unfold?
The conclave is a highly secret process in which the cardinal electors, after a special Mass, lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel with no outside contact. Up to four votes are held daily, and a two-thirds majority is required to elect the new Pope. The results are announced through the so-called fumata: black if there is no election and white when a new pontiff has been elected.
Once elected, the new Pope is presented to the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with the announcement “Habemus Papam.”
The world closely watches this process, waiting to discover the next spiritual leader of the Catholic Church.
