Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Pope Leo paid respects on Tuesday to his predecessor Francis on the first anniversary of his death, praising the late pontiff’s words and witness.
Tribute during Africa tour
Leo, speaking aboard his flight to Equatorial Guinea on the final leg of his four-nation Africa tour, said Francis promoted “an authentic respect for all men and women… that we are all brothers and sisters.” He added that the Church prays Francis is “already enjoying the mercy of the Lord” and thanked the Lord “for the great gift of Francis’ life to the Church and the whole world.”
Francis’ death and papacy
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, died of a stroke on April 21, 2025, at age 88 after surviving a serious bout of double pneumonia. Over his 12-year papacy, he sought to reform the global Church, which often drew criticism from conservative Catholics who worried he was watering down strict doctrinal teachings.
Political tensions and public disputes
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently criticized Leo after the current pope emerged in recent weeks as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, also took issue with Francis. In 2016, Francis and Trump publicly disagreed over Trump’s plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, with Francis suggesting Trump’s hard-line anti-immigration policies were unchristian and Trump calling the pope “disgraceful.”
Personal style and burial
Francis was known for his simple style and did not move into the ornate papal apartments, living instead at a Vatican hotel. His burial on April 26, 2025, followed his request for a simple, zinc-lined wooden coffin. He was the first pope in more than 100 years to be buried outside the Vatican, choosing Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where his tomb is marked with the Latin inscription “Franciscus.”
What do you consider Pope Francis’ most lasting impact on the Catholic Church?
