The most loved “people’s Pope”, this is how Pope Francis is dearly called by the media. He was simple human yet courageous who didn’t hesistate to address the unspoken issues, who laughs and cries, shares light moments with those around him. Francis has resonated with people worldwide with his deep humility and faith-focused presence for the people, especially the poor. The first non european pope in centuries he has won millions of hearts of the world wide Christians and non believers, not to mention first from the Jesuit order, a historic point of tension with the Holy See, Francis has broken expectations and has reimagined the papacy.
He has been both the face of appreciation and the contraverse. His papacy is characterized by a line of bold, humanitarian actions that drew the admiration of some like visiting Lampedusa, Italy, a place where illegal migrants land up in europe, the washing of the feet of the women. Through his convening of the Synod on the Amazon, he addressed the environmental crisis and indigenous peoples’ rights with urgency. And his gesture of haggoating the feet of South Sudan’s leaders, pleading for them to embrace peace, was a touching plea for reconciliation. Also, his choice to live in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the lavish papal apartments shows his desire to be humble and available to all.
Born in Buenos Aires, Airgentina on December 17, 1936 as the eldest of the five children from Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori. Inspired by the Jesuit order, he was ordained a priest in 1969. His leadership qualities were evident early on, serving as Jesuit provincial superior from 1973 to 1979. He later became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.
Through his encyclicals – Lumen Fidei, Laudato Si’, Fratelli Tutti, and Dilexit Nos – Pope Francis has courageously brought attention to critical global challenges by creating platforms for worldwide discussion. Beyond the boundaries of the Catholic Church Pope Francis’s strong climate action gave firm support for migrant rights and his strict position against clerical sexual abuse “Zero Tolence”mentioned in Delixit nos have gained widespread attention.
Pope Francis has received widespread positive attention from international media which emphasizes his genuine nature and caring approach. This also helped the church to gain back its true identiy as an all inclusive and motherly church.
The Street artist Mauro Pallotta’s depiction of Pope Francis as “supero hero”. The increase of the crowd at regular Wednesday papal audience and the Sundady Angelus address shows how much Pope Francis is loved the common folks.
Pope Francis’s papacy confirms his motto “miserando atque elignedo” which means “By having mercy he chose us”. Mercy was the central theme of his teaching and living. As we now with utmost heaviness bid loving farewell to our dear Jorge Bergoglio, let us continue to carry on his legacy and ideals of “MERCY, LOVE AND CARE FOR THE NEIGHBOUR” as he says in his Angelus message on the solemnity of Christ the King, 2017 “At the end of our life we will be judged on love, that is, on our concrete commitment to love and to serve Jesus in our smallest and most needy brothers.”