Who Was Pope Francis? 10 Things About the Late Roman Catholic Leader

Adoringly called by Filipinos as "Lolo Kiko," the 266th Pope passed away on April 21, 2025.

Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, as announced by the Vatican through a video statement. His death comes only a day after Easter Sunday, which he spent generously greeting crowds and offering special blessings at St. Peter’s Square. His pneumonia caused a 38-day hospital stay, and Easter Sunday was his first prolonged public appearance after his discharge on March 23.

PHOTOS: Instagram/franciscus

“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell. “This morning at 7:35 AM, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” adding that “his entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church.”

Throughout his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis has touched many lives and transformed societal views on Roman Catholicism by championing the welfare of refugees and other marginalized groups. Today, we honor him and his contributions. Here are 10 things to know about Pope Francis.

Who Was Pope Francis?

1. His name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, known as Pope Francis to most and Lolo Kiko to Filipinos, was born to Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936. He was 88 years old at the time of his passing.

2. He worked as a club bouncer

Before pursuing the path to priesthood, Pope Francis took part in the nightlife as a club bouncer. He also graduated as a chemical technician.

3. His grandmother had the biggest influence on him

Growing up, it was his grandmother who would take him to Mass and educate him about saints, the rosary, and other important elements of the religion. This could have been one of his drivers to exert more effort in acknowledging women’s contributions to the church. One way he showed this was through the appointment of layperson Francesca Di Giovanni as a point-person for diplomatic relations, making her the first woman to hold a senior managerial position in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.

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Pope Francis meeting Francesca Di Giovanni. PHOTO: Vatican News.

4. His papacy brought many firsts for the Roman Catholic Church

Pope Francis was elected as pope on March 13, 2013, making him the 266th pope of the Catholic Church. There were many firsts that came with this—he was the first pope to take the name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, to be from the Americas, and to come from the order of Jesuits. Numerous apostolic journeys of his were also firsts in papal history, such as his visits to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, and the French island of Cosico.

5. He inherited a church under fire for a child sex abuse scandal

He succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, who formerly served as the Archbishop of Munich and failed to take action against four priests accused of child sexual abuse then. Following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, claimed to be caused by old age and health concerns, Pope Francis took on a role that was enveloped by challenges difficult to rise from. With humility, he offered historic apologies to clergy sexual abuse victims and he spent his leadership taking steps to stop sexual abuse and the church’s cover-up of it.

A young girl and Pope Francis share smiles and hugs.

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PHOTO: Instagram/franciscus.

5. He pushed for a more tolerant church for the LGBTQIA+ community

In 2005, the papacy described homosexuality as “an objective disorder” and “a strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil.” In 2013, however, Pope Francis made a statement saying, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” This undeniably made headlines and caused a stir among the church. Although he stood by the traditional belief of gay marriage not actually being considered as marriage, Pope Francis approved of priests blessing same-sex couples in 2023.

6. He championed environmental stewardship

Pope Francis addressed the climate crisis in the papal encyclical Laudato si’, wherein he criticized consumerism and environmental degradation through irresponsibility. The book called for unified global action and is considered as one of his significant achievements.

8. He went viral for his response to a child’s question about his father being an atheist

Back in 2018, Pope Francis visited the outskirts of Rome and took questions from young parishioners, including a boy named Emanuele. His late father was a non-believer but had his children baptized, which made him ask, “Is dad in heaven?” Pope Francis replied, “God has a dad’s heart.” He added, “Does God abandon his children when they are good? There, Emanuele, that is the answer. God surely was proud of your father because it is easier as a believer to baptize your children than to baptize them when you are not a believer."

Pope Francis asks Emanuele to come on stage and whisper his question because he had difficulty saying it aloud.

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PHOTO: CNS/Paul Haring.

9. He encouraged church communities to welcome divorcees

Through official documents, Pope Francis implemented reforms to the church’s annulment processes to bring more ease for the people facing it, writing, “No one can be condemned forever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and remarried, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves.”

10. Pope Francis drew huge crowds and was admired globally

Pope Francis embarked on many travels to promote interfaith, unity, and his countless advocacies. His clear and constant stances, though they brought about quite a turbulent tenure, opened more eyes and attracted many to give the church an opportunity to impact their lives positively.

Rest in peace, Pope Francis.