Person
Pope Francis
Also known as: Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Summary
Pope Francis (1936–2025) was the 266th pope and Pope Leo XIV's immediate predecessor. He died on 21 April 2025. He had appointed the future Leo XIV Bishop of Chiclayo, then Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and a cardinal, and had begun the draft that became Leo XIV's first exhortation, Dilexi te.
Roles
- Archbishop of Buenos Aires1998–2013
- Pope2013–2025
Key facts
- Papacy
- 13 March 2013 – 21 April 2025
- Successor
- Pope Leo XIV
Francis shaped the College of Cardinals that elected Leo XIV and the Curia the new pope inherited. Leo XIV has stressed continuity with Francis on synodality, migration, care for creation and closeness to the poor, while adding his own emphasis on the ethics of technology.
Related news
Sources
- Primary sourceVatican.va (Holy See) — Leo XIV — official texts, homilies, speeches and documents · Primary / official full texts
- ArchiveWikipedia — Pope Leo XIV — Wikipedia · Background reference, continuously updated
LeoPope links to primary and official texts wherever they exist. See our sources policy.