THE END OF AN ERA: POPE FRANCIS’ DEATH

“Requiescat in pace, Papa Francis”, I read on a friend’s WhatsApp status. It was on the 21st of April, 2025, which also happened to be ‘Easter Monday’.I had just woken up that morning and the first news I heard was the death of the Pope — Pope Francis. Trust me, you weren’t as shocked as I was. Some of us might be wondering who a ‘Pope’ is.

The pope is not only the spiritual head of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome — formally titled the Supreme Pontiff — but also a living emblem of unity for more than a billion faithful Catholics around the world. Beyond religion, the pope carries centuries of history and tradition. For over 1,000 years, popes ruled the Papal States in Italy;Since the 1929 Lateran Treaty, the pope’s authority is exercised from the tiny, independent Vatican City. Above all, the pope’s voice speaks to faith, peace, and human dignity.

WHO WAS POPE FRANCIS?

Jorge Mario Bergoglio — better known today as Pope Francis — was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a family of Italian immigrants. Before he became a Pope  or even thought of becoming a priest , he was just a boy growing up in a working class neighborhood and doing what kids of his age would have been doing then, like, soccer, tango music and so on. Life wasn’t always easy. At the age of 21 in 1957, he suffered a severe lung infection that almost took his life;to save his life, doctors had to surgically remove part of his right lung. It was a serious,life-altering moment for him, but even at that moment, his faith was still strong. 

Pope Francis was ordained to the priesthood on December 13, 1969, at the age of 33. He became a priest, not for power or prestige, but to be close to those who suffered. He was known for taking the bus instead of a private car and making his own meal, and he believed that the church should walk alongside the poor, not above them.   

In 2013, the world held its breath as the white smoke curled into the Roman sky, signaling a new chapter of history. For the very first time in history, a Pope from the Americas, from the distant humble street of the Southern Hemisphere had been chosen, and who was this man? Pope Francis. I know y’all have been wondering how his name changed to ‘Francis’ from ‘Jorge’ , well, he chose the name- Francis, as a tender tribute to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Saint of peace, simplicity and boundless love for the poor. 

 When Pope Francis appeared on the balcony in 2013, the world immediately felt his warmth. He spoke not like a ruler, but like a shepherd close to his people. From choosing a modest guesthouse over a palace to washing the feet of prisoners and refugees, his actions spoke louder than words. Under his guidance, the Church embraced care for the environment with Laudato Si’, urged compassion for refugees, and opened doors to interfaith dialogue. He became a gentle yet bold voice for the poor, the forgotten, and those often left outside the Church’s embrace. With tenderness and courage, Pope Francis continued to remind the world of the simple, enduring power of mercy and love. 

In his later years as pope, Francis faced his share of health challenges — undergoing colon surgery in 2021, battling sciatica which affected  his mobility, and enduring occasional respiratory illnesses. Yet through it all, his spirit remained  steady. He still greeted  pilgrims with warmth, blessed  children, and used  every opportunity to speak for peace, compassion, and human dignity.

THE TRAGEDY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.  

In the early hours of 21st of April, 2025,Easter Monday, the whole world turned red and the Catholic Church was thrown into grief, the season for rejoicing over the rising of Christ from death with the people’s voice echoing “Hallelujah” happened to be the season for mourning the Pope. 

 When I saw my friend’s WhatsApp status, I was shocked but in denial. Thinking it was just another rumor, I Googled it right away, and sadly, it was true. Yes, it was true. Just when I was moving from one social media to another to find out what exactly happened, I saw a video of when his death was announced. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, with this translation of his announcement; “ Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father, Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the father…”, announced the death of the Pope.  The video was so emotional as the Cardinal also talked about how he dedicated his life to the service of the Lord and his church.

 The news of the Pope’s death kept on getting circulated, even some non-catholics were touched by it, because some of them commented on the post — you can check CNN’s page on TikTok. Many people could not believe that such a great man of God had died. Many bloggers posted about it and many people from all over the world were commenting and sharing their favorite stories, quotes and moments of him. It wasn’t just possible for you to scroll through any social media app without coming across the news of Pope Francis’ death. 

 In the days after Pope Francis’s passing, a quiet sense of mourning settled over cities around the world. In Adelaide, Australia, that loss was felt in a particularly personal way. Nearly a thousand people filled St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, gathering not just to grieve, but to give thanks for a man whose warmth and humility had reached far beyond the walls of the Church. Archbishop Patrick O’Regan spoke with gentle reverence, reflecting on a leader who made room for the forgotten, spoke up for the voiceless, and carried himself with a humanity that felt rare in figures of such stature.

Meanwhile, in Rome, St. Mary Major Basilica became a place of pilgrimage. With the Pope’s tomb opened to the public, a steady stream of mourners arrived — some carrying flowers, others lighting candles, many offering quiet prayers. The air inside felt thick with memory and gratitude. People from all walks of life came through those ancient doors, many not Catholic, but each moved in some way by the example Pope Francis had set: a life marked by kindness, courage, and a steady refusal to turn away from those in need.

That week, the world didn’t just mourn the death of a pope. It paused to remember a man who, in choosing simplicity over grandeur and empathy over indifference, reminded us what true leadership looks like.

WHEN WAS HE BURIED?

On April 26, 2025, the world bid a final, tender farewell to Pope Francis. In the heart of Rome, St. Peter’s Square overflowed with a sea of mourners — an estimated 250,000 people — gathered beneath a soft, overcast sky. They came from every corner of the world: heads of state, religious leaders, pilgrims, and ordinary people whose lives had been quietly shaped by a pope who chose kindness as his compass. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re led the solemn funeral Mass, his voice steady as it carried prayers of both grief and gratitude across the vast square.

But it wasn’t only in Rome that hearts turned toward heaven that day. In churches across the globe — from grand cathedrals in bustling capitals to humble chapels in remote villages — Masses were celebrated in his memory. Bells tolled, candles flickered, and countless prayers were offered for a man who, in life, never stopped reminding the world of the power of mercy, simplicity, and human connection.

After the final blessings in St. Peter’s, Pope Francis’s coffin, plain and dignified, was brought to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. It was there, in a quiet burial niche between the Sforza and Pauline Chapels, near the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani — to whom he often prayed before and after his travels — that he was laid to rest. This was no grandiose tomb in the crypt of St. Peter’s, but a place of Marian devotion, honoring his lifelong bond with the mother of Christ and his wish for a simple, humble resting place.

A HUMBLE MAN TILL DEATH?

Of course. True  to the values he championed, Pope Francis had reformed the rituals surrounding papal funerals, stripping away layers of pomp and ceremony in favor of authenticity. His burial reflected this beautifully: a single wooden coffin lined with zinc, free from the opulence of nested caskets. The inscription on his tomb reads only, “Franciscus.” No titles, no accolades — just the name of a man who had given his life to service, faith, and compassion.

Today, his tomb has become a quiet place of pilgrimage. People come not out of obligation, but out of love — to remember a shepherd who walked gently among his flock, spoke for the forgotten, and left behind a legacy of hope in a world often starved for it.