A Pope Like No Other: Remembering Pope Francis
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was a man of the people from the start. The son of Italian immigrants, he grew up in a working-class family, trained as a chemist, and later joined the Jesuits, a religious order known for its intellectual rigor and service. When he was elected pope on March 13, 2013, he took the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a saint devoted to the poor and creation. It was a fitting choice for a man who would redefine the papacy with his humility and warmth.
Pope Francis was different. He swapped the grand papal apartments for a modest room in the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse. He drove around in a simple Fiat instead of a fancy car. He washed the feet of prisoners, hugged refugees, and welcomed those often pushed to the margins people with disabilities, the homeless, and even those struggling with their faith. His message was clear: the Church should be a “field hospital,” healing wounds and spreading love.
He didn’t shy away from big issues. Through his writings, like Laudato Si’ (2015), he called for urgent action on climate change, urging humanity to care for our planet. In Fratelli Tutti (2020), he dreamed of a world where everyone, regardless of background, could live as brothers and sisters. He spoke out against greed, inequality, and the indifference that leaves so many behind.
But not everyone agreed with him. Some traditionalists felt he was too progressive, especially when he opened doors for women in Church roles or softened the tone toward LGBTQ+ Catholics. Others wanted faster, bolder action on the clergy abuse crisis, a wound that haunted his papacy despite his efforts to reform. And let’s not forget his knack for stirring the pot like when he called out political figures, including a memorable jab at U.S. Vice President JD Vance over immigration policies. Love him or not, Pope Francis was a force, a pastor who brought the Church closer to the people.
A Time of Mourning: The Vatican in Transition
When Pope Francis took his last breath at 7:35 AM on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the Vatican sprang into action. The moment a pope dies, the Church enters a period called sede vacante Latin for “the seat is vacant.” It’s a time when the Church holds its breath, waiting for a new leader. The man in charge during this transition is the Camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-American who’s been a key figure in Francis’s Vatican.
In the past, the Camerlengo would confirm a pope’s death by calling his name three times and even tapping his head with a silver hammer. These days, it’s a bit less dramatic doctors certify the death, and the Camerlengo makes it official. On April 21, Cardinal Farrell stood before the world and said, “This morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.” Those words marked the start of a carefully planned process rooted in tradition.
The Vatican is now in a nine-day mourning period called the Novendiales. Pope Francis’s body will first lie in state at the Santa Marta chapel for Vatican staff to pay their respects, then move to St. Peter’s Basilica, where millions are expected to say goodbye. His funeral, likely happening four to six days after his death, will be a global moment, with leaders, clergy, and everyday Catholics gathering in Rome. True to his style, Francis wanted simplicity: he’ll be laid to rest in a single wooden and zinc coffin, not the triple-layered one used for past popes. And in a historic break from tradition, he chose to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a church he loved, instead of the Vatican’s crypt.
During this time, the Camerlengo has some housekeeping to do. He seals the papal apartments to keep things secure and destroys the Ring of the Fisherman, the pope’s official seal, to mark the end of Francis’s reign. It’s a poignant reminder that the Church is in limbo, waiting for its next shepherd.
The Conclave: A Sacred Election
Now comes the part everyone’s watching: the conclave, the secret meeting where cardinals pick the new pope. It’s like something out of a movie cloaked in mystery, held in the Sistine Chapel, with the world waiting for a puff of white smoke. The rules, laid out in a document called Universi Dominici Gregis, are strict to keep things fair and private. The conclave usually starts 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death, giving cardinals time to get to Rome, but it could begin sooner if everyone’s there.
The College of Cardinals, with 252 members, runs the show, but only those under 80 can vote about 135 of them right now. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean, organizes things, though he’s too old to cast a ballot. During the sede vacante, the cardinals handle basic Church business, but big decisions wait for the new pope.
The conclave itself is intense. The cardinals are locked in—conclave means “with a key” cut off from phones, news, and the outside world. They start with a special Mass, then march into the Sistine Chapel, singing a hymn to call on the Holy Spirit. Under Michelangelo’s frescoes, they swear an oath of secrecy and get to work.
Voting happens in rounds, up to four a day. Each cardinal writes their choice on a ballot that says, “I elect as Supreme Pontiff,” folds it, and drops it into a fancy urn. It takes a two-thirds majority to win. After each round, the ballots are burned. Black smoke means no pope yet; white smoke means a new pope has been chosen. In 2013, it took five rounds to elect Francis, but it could take longer or shorter depending on how united the cardinals are.
When someone finally gets the votes, they’re asked, “Do you accept?” If they say yes, they pick a papal name, get dressed in white, and step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s. The senior cardinal deacon shouts Habemus Papam “We have a Pope!” and the crowd goes wild. It’s a moment that unites Catholics everywhere.
Who’s Next? The Papabili
Everyone’s got their guesses about who’ll be pope next. The cardinals come from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America so the possibilities are wide open. While any baptized male Catholic could theoretically be pope, it’s almost always a cardinal. Here are some names floating around:
What This Means for the World
Choosing a new pope isn’t just a Catholic thing it ripples out. The next pope will lead a Church that’s growing in places like Africa and Asia but shrinking in Europe and North America. They’ll face a world wrestling with division, poverty, and big moral questions. Will they keep Francis’s open-door approach? Or steer the Church in a new direction?
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was a man of the people from the start. The son of Italian immigrants, he grew up in a working-class family, trained as a chemist, and later joined the Jesuits, a religious order known for its intellectual rigor and service. When he was elected pope on March 13, 2013, he took the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a saint devoted to the poor and creation. It was a fitting choice for a man who would redefine the papacy with his humility and warmth.
Pope Francis was different. He swapped the grand papal apartments for a modest room in the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse. He drove around in a simple Fiat instead of a fancy car. He washed the feet of prisoners, hugged refugees, and welcomed those often pushed to the margins people with disabilities, the homeless, and even those struggling with their faith. His message was clear: the Church should be a “field hospital,” healing wounds and spreading love.
He didn’t shy away from big issues. Through his writings, like Laudato Si’ (2015), he called for urgent action on climate change, urging humanity to care for our planet. In Fratelli Tutti (2020), he dreamed of a world where everyone, regardless of background, could live as brothers and sisters. He spoke out against greed, inequality, and the indifference that leaves so many behind.
But not everyone agreed with him. Some traditionalists felt he was too progressive, especially when he opened doors for women in Church roles or softened the tone toward LGBTQ+ Catholics. Others wanted faster, bolder action on the clergy abuse crisis, a wound that haunted his papacy despite his efforts to reform. And let’s not forget his knack for stirring the pot like when he called out political figures, including a memorable jab at U.S. Vice President JD Vance over immigration policies. Love him or not, Pope Francis was a force, a pastor who brought the Church closer to the people.
A Time of Mourning: The Vatican in Transition
When Pope Francis took his last breath at 7:35 AM on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the Vatican sprang into action. The moment a pope dies, the Church enters a period called sede vacante Latin for “the seat is vacant.” It’s a time when the Church holds its breath, waiting for a new leader. The man in charge during this transition is the Camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-American who’s been a key figure in Francis’s Vatican.
In the past, the Camerlengo would confirm a pope’s death by calling his name three times and even tapping his head with a silver hammer. These days, it’s a bit less dramatic doctors certify the death, and the Camerlengo makes it official. On April 21, Cardinal Farrell stood before the world and said, “This morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.” Those words marked the start of a carefully planned process rooted in tradition.
The Vatican is now in a nine-day mourning period called the Novendiales. Pope Francis’s body will first lie in state at the Santa Marta chapel for Vatican staff to pay their respects, then move to St. Peter’s Basilica, where millions are expected to say goodbye. His funeral, likely happening four to six days after his death, will be a global moment, with leaders, clergy, and everyday Catholics gathering in Rome. True to his style, Francis wanted simplicity: he’ll be laid to rest in a single wooden and zinc coffin, not the triple-layered one used for past popes. And in a historic break from tradition, he chose to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a church he loved, instead of the Vatican’s crypt.
During this time, the Camerlengo has some housekeeping to do. He seals the papal apartments to keep things secure and destroys the Ring of the Fisherman, the pope’s official seal, to mark the end of Francis’s reign. It’s a poignant reminder that the Church is in limbo, waiting for its next shepherd.
The Conclave: A Sacred Election
Now comes the part everyone’s watching: the conclave, the secret meeting where cardinals pick the new pope. It’s like something out of a movie cloaked in mystery, held in the Sistine Chapel, with the world waiting for a puff of white smoke. The rules, laid out in a document called Universi Dominici Gregis, are strict to keep things fair and private. The conclave usually starts 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death, giving cardinals time to get to Rome, but it could begin sooner if everyone’s there.
The College of Cardinals, with 252 members, runs the show, but only those under 80 can vote about 135 of them right now. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean, organizes things, though he’s too old to cast a ballot. During the sede vacante, the cardinals handle basic Church business, but big decisions wait for the new pope.
The conclave itself is intense. The cardinals are locked in—conclave means “with a key” cut off from phones, news, and the outside world. They start with a special Mass, then march into the Sistine Chapel, singing a hymn to call on the Holy Spirit. Under Michelangelo’s frescoes, they swear an oath of secrecy and get to work.
Voting happens in rounds, up to four a day. Each cardinal writes their choice on a ballot that says, “I elect as Supreme Pontiff,” folds it, and drops it into a fancy urn. It takes a two-thirds majority to win. After each round, the ballots are burned. Black smoke means no pope yet; white smoke means a new pope has been chosen. In 2013, it took five rounds to elect Francis, but it could take longer or shorter depending on how united the cardinals are.
When someone finally gets the votes, they’re asked, “Do you accept?” If they say yes, they pick a papal name, get dressed in white, and step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s. The senior cardinal deacon shouts Habemus Papam “We have a Pope!” and the crowd goes wild. It’s a moment that unites Catholics everywhere.
Who’s Next? The Papabili
Everyone’s got their guesses about who’ll be pope next. The cardinals come from all over Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America so the possibilities are wide open. While any baptized male Catholic could theoretically be pope, it’s almost always a cardinal. Here are some names floating around:
- Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines): At 67, he’s young, energetic, and shares Francis’s heart for the poor. They call him the “Asian Francis.”
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy): The Vatican’s top diplomat, he’s a seasoned insider who knows how to navigate the Church’s complexities.
- Cardinal Péter Erdő (Hungary): A quiet scholar, he could appeal to both liberals and conservatives.
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy): A Francis fan, he’s known for building bridges and serving communities.
- Cardinal Robert Sarah (Guinea): A favorite of traditionalists, his conservative views might clash with Francis’s progressive appointees.
What This Means for the World
Choosing a new pope isn’t just a Catholic thing it ripples out. The next pope will lead a Church that’s growing in places like Africa and Asia but shrinking in Europe and North America. They’ll face a world wrestling with division, poverty, and big moral questions. Will they keep Francis’s open-door approach? Or steer the Church in a new direction?
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