From Buenos Aires to Rome: The ‘Extraordinary’ Life of Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, the first pope from the Americas, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has announced.

He had battled health problems throughout his life with bravery and good humor. It was a life that took him from an impoverished childhood in Buenos Aires to leader of the Catholic Church’s 1.3 billion believers as the 266th pope.

To his supporters, he was a principled reformer who strove to modernize the Church and make it more relevant to a fast-changing world. He was also seen by many as heralding a new era for Catholicism, and a man whose momentous decisions will go down in history but who lived with an unwavering humility and kindness.

His conservative critics attacked many of those momentous decisions, such as the blessing of homosexual couples and reform of the Roman Curia. He also faced accusations of both authoritarianism and of not doing enough to tackle clerical sexual abuse.

Early Life in Argentina

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the son of Italian immigrants who instilled in him a deep sense of faith. The eldest of five children, he was a gifted scholar. He had a girlfriend, Amalia Damonte, and when they were both 12 years old he told her, “If I can’t marry you, I’ll become a priest.”

“Luckily for him, I said no,” she recalled in 2023.

He later worked as a nightclub bouncer in a working-class suburb of the city.

At the age of 21, he contracted pneumonia and had to have part of one lung removed, which made him more prone to infections.

In 1958, he joined the Jesuit order, a decision that would define his commitment to social justice and education.

Ordained as a priest in 1969, Bergoglio, as he was still known, steadily rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church. By 1997, he was named coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, assuming full leadership of the archdiocese the following year. Known for his unassuming lifestyle, he rejected luxury, opting instead for public transportation and a modest apartment.

His profile grew during Argentina’s financial crisis in 2001, when he emerged as a fierce critic of corruption and political mismanagement. That same year, Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals, setting the stage for his eventual ascent to the papacy.

Election to the Papacy

In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013. He was appointed following the shock resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who became the first pope to step aside since 1415.

Widely seen as a surprising choice, Bergoglio was a 30/1 outsider. His election marked several firsts—he became the first pontiff from the Americas, the first Jesuit to assume the papacy, and the first to take the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who gave up his wealth and chose to live in poverty.

Pope Francis’ Humility

Throughout his tenure, Francis consistently championed themes of compassion, humility, and advocacy for the world’s most vulnerable. “My people are poor, and I am one of them,” he said.

Renowned for his warmth, quick wit, and passion for soccer, Francis broke with tradition by choosing to reside in the Vatican’s Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the lavish Apostolic Palace—a move widely interpreted as a reflection of his personal commitment to simplicity and accessibility.

Conciliatory to LGBTQ+ Catholics

In a departure from Vatican rhetoric, Francis signaled a more inclusive stance toward LGBTQ+ Catholics in 2013 when, during an in-flight press conference, he responded to a question about gay priests by saying, “Who am I to judge?” The remark represented a startling shift in tone, breaking from the more rigid doctrinal approach of his predecessors. It would prove to be one of the defining issues of his papacy.

In 2023, he authorized Catholic Church officials to bless same-sex couples, sparking a backlash from the conservative wing of the church. The pope accused those who criticized him of “hypocrisy.”

“No one is scandalized if I give a blessing to an entrepreneur who perhaps exploits people: and that is a most serious sin,” he said.

“Whereas they are scandalized if I give it to a homosexual … This is hypocrisy! We all have to respect each other. Everyone!”

Care for Plight of Migrants, Visits Lampedusa

In 2013, soon after becoming pope, Francis took his message of compassion to the global stage. In July, he traveled to the Italian island of Lampedusa, a key entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, to highlight the dire conditions faced by those risking their lives in search of a better future.

The visit, marked by somber prayers and pointed criticism of global indifference, solidified his image as a pope deeply committed to social and economic justice. For others, however, it marked another stage of his transformation into what they derisively called a “woke pope.”

Landmark Synods and Papal Documents

Francis issued a series of documents and took actions that connected his spiritual vision with practical realities. In 2015, he released the encyclical Laudato si’, an appeal for greater environmental stewardship that called for changes in lifestyles and policies to combat climate change.

He also convened two Synods on the Family in 2014 and 2015, which culminated in the 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia.