Pope Francis died April 21 at the age of 88 from a stroke and cardiac arrest. He was born December 17, 1936, in Argentina, and his full name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He created his papal name to honor Saint Francis of Assisi when he was appointed. St. Francis of Assisi was known for his love of peace and life of poverty. Pope Francis represented the name well, showing his love for the poor and humility and being called the Pope of the People.
FVHS English teacher Bonnie Halle said, “[Pope Francis had the] ability to engage in hard conversations. He surrounded himself with people from all different walks of life and those who came from all over the world. It takes a lot of humility and courage to sit at a table with experts from all over the world.”
Pope Francis became Pope Mar. 13, 2013, after Pope Benedict XVI resigned. Pope Francis was the first pope from the Americas. Pope Francis was one of the first popes to use social media to connect with people around the world.
“I think he really followed the word of God and he focused more on what the Bible said, rather than what everyone else interpreted the bible to say. He spread love and charity everywhere regardless of who they were,” sophomore Jillian Walden said.
The pope was known for his humility and for reforming the Vatican. He was inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community even though it remains a controversial subject for many Catholics.
Freshman Remi Jackson said, “He was known for just being so much more different than any other pope. I would say almost a modernized hope.”
Many people know him by his silver crosses. He chose to not wear gold because he believed he did not deserve gold. The Messenger of St. Anthony explained that most popes wore gold and jewelry to show their power. Pope Anthony wanted to show “the Franciscan ideal of evangelical poverty.”
“He was able to elect over 80 cardinals from all over the world … he also opened the doors for women to have a little bit more position within the church. He was always positive. He said that whenever we bring in more people to the church, we get better,” said Halle.
There is a nine day period of mourning where people may see the pope’s body in remembrance. The body is displayed at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. Pope Francis will be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on Saturday, six days after his death. Usually the popes are buried in the Vatican Grottoes, but Pope Francis made it clear he wanted to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. He felt a deep connection to the Virgin Mary and commonly went to the Basilica.
“I’m praying that his impact continues to be understood and that God guides and leads them [the cardinals] to find the next pope,” said Jackson.
People are celebrating the life of Pope Francis. Almost 61,000 people have visited Pope Francis’s casket. It stayed open overnight for mourners to pray and remember him. This shows how much people respect Pope Francis and his works.
Walden said, “I’m going to continue spreading the word of God. Love is what he preached rather than the hatred that a lot of Christians seem to have toward certain marginalized communities.”
After the funeral, the Cardinals will meet and decide on a new pope. If white smoke comes from the Sistine Chapel, a new pope has been elected. If there is black smoke, no one has won the election.
Halle said, “I was looking at some of his quotes, especially for high school because I think high school is a tumultuous time in anyone’s life. I loved when he [Pope Francis] said, ‘Have the courage to be truly happy.’ I love that for any high school. Have the courage to choose happiness and go after what makes you happy.”
