Pope Francis, radical leader who broke the papal mold, dies at 88

japantimes.co.jpPublished: 4/21/2025

Summary

Pope Francis, who died at 88, will be remembered as a groundbreaking leader who championed the downtrodden and modernized the Catholic Church without altering its core teachings. Known as "the people's Pope," he connected deeply with his flock but faced backlash from traditionalists. As the first pope from the Americas and Southern Hemisphere, he fearlessly advocated for migrants and those affected by climate change, calling it a crisis driven by humanity.