Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936. He was the son of Italian immigrants and the oldest of five children. 

In 2001, he was named a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II. Pope Francis was elected as Pope on March 13, 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI resigned on February 28, 2013. The election of Pope Francis was historic because he was the first Pope from the Americas, the first Pope from Latin America, and the first non-European Pope in over a thousand years. The last non-European Pope was Pope Gregory III who died in 741. 

Pope Francis was also historic through his actions. According to NPR, “He was the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress in the United States and the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula, known as the birthplace of Islam, a historic moment for interfaith dialogue.” Through these actions, he was able to leave behind a legacy of peace and acceptance. 

Pope Francis also encouraged the Church to take action on pressing issues of our day. In his first papal pronouncement, Pope Francis denounced the evils of poverty and inequality and called on everyone to help those who are less fortunate. He also aligned the Church with the fight against climate change. In 2019, he held a three week Vatican synod that brought together bishops, Indigenous leaders, and environmental activists to discuss climate change. 

For twelve years, Pope Francis was the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and left behind a legacy of peace, acceptance, service, unity, and compassion.

Sources: https://www.npr.org/sections/the-picture-show/2025/04/21/g-s1-61632/the-life-and-legacy-of-pope-francis https://time.com/7275022/pope-francis-death-latin-american-legacy/