Pope Francis, Beloved Globally, Dies At 88

Photo: George Jacob Koovakad with the late Pope (Vatican News)

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI — The world is in mourning as Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on April 21, at the age of 88. Beloved globally for his humility and reformist zeal, his death marks the end of a deeply consequential and often challenging papacy.

Despite a recent recovery from double pneumonia and an upbeat appearance during Easter Sunday celebrations, the pontiff died unexpectedly.

He was last seen publicly in good spirits, waving to crowds from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square. As the Church prepares for a conclave to elect his successor—expected between May 6 and May 11—attention has turned to the 135 cardinals eligible to vote. Among them are four Indian cardinals:

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão (72): Archbishop of Goa and Daman, and President of both the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Cardinal Baselios Cleemis (64): Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, based in Trivandrum.

Cardinal Anthony Poola (63): Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad and India’s first Dalit cardinal, noted for his service to marginalized communities.

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad (51): A Kerala-born Vatican diplomat and Archbishop in the Syro-Malabar Church, he organized many of Pope Francis’s foreign visits and heads the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed heartfelt condolences, calling Pope Francis “a beacon of compassion, humility, and spiritual courage.”

“His affection for the people of India will always be cherished,” Modi said in a statement, recalling his meeting with the Pope during the G7 summit in Apulia, Italy.

Modi’s sentiments were echoed by other Indian leaders, including Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian, who had visited the Vatican last December for the elevation of Cardinal Koovakad. Kurian had also revealed that Pope Francis was likely to visit India after 2025, during the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year celebrations.

A Papacy of Compassion and Change

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Jesuit pope and the first non-European pope in over a millennium. He famously chose to live outside the traditional papal apartments, citing the need for “psychological health,” and stayed in a modest Vatican guesthouse instead.

Francis’s papacy was marked by a consistent push for transparency, financial reform, and inclusion.

He elevated women to senior Church roles, advocated for interfaith dialogue, and became a global symbol of empathy—particularly for the poor, migrants, and the marginalized.

Yet, his tenure was not without controversy. He faced internal dissent and struggled with the Catholic Church’s long-running sexual abuse scandals. Critics from both ends of the ideological spectrum often challenged his leadership.

Still, his global popularity endured. During international visits, he drew millions, often walking among crowds and championing peace.

In his final Easter message, read aloud by an aide, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, reflecting his lifelong commitment to peace and justice.

In the end, Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinals who will elect his successor, ensuring his progressive vision may continue to shape the future of the Church.

As the bells toll across Vatican City and faithful around the world pray in remembrance, the Church begins its sacred process of transition—guided, no doubt, by the legacy of a pope who changed the face of Catholicism for generations to come. (Courtesy: https://indiawest.com/)