The Vatican has announced that its Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, passed away early Monday morning, just a day after delivering his Easter Sunday sermon from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Vatican reported the cause of death as a cerebral stroke following a recent hospitalization for double pneumonia.

Born in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was dubbed the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and became well-known for his strong advocacy of the poor and the oppressed.

He took strong political stances and made strong statements in their regard in his efforts to promote global peace and inter-religious dialogue, as well as to put the spotlight of condemnation on governments guilty of severe acts of persecution and oppression on entire groups of people.

His most recent condemnation was of the Israeli genocide on Gaza, which was both well-received among Palestine supporters, and infuriating to the Israeli regime itself.

In his 12-year papacy, his stances allowed him to better connect with progressives in the West, something that was scarcely seen with previous popes.

Stance on Gaza

After witnessing a year and a half of the Israeli onslaught on the civilian population of Gaza, Pope Francis shared some strong words criticizing the Israeli regime’s aggressions. During his annual Christmas address, the pontiff stated, “Children are being bombed. This is cruelty, not war.”

This statement was met with outrage from the Israeli foreign ministry, which summoned the Vatican’s ambassador, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana to express their frustrations with the pontiff’s words.

In November, the Pope suggested that the onslaught should be classified as a ‘genocide,’ and even stated in his new book, Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims Towards a Better World, that “according to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide.”

In his last appearance and sermon on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis would make his final comments regarding the genocide in Gaza, saying,

I express my closeness to the sufferings… of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.

The leader of the Catholic Church felt so deeply and strongly for the Palestinians of Gaza, that throughout the one-and-a-half-year genocidal war on Gaza, he made daily video calls to the strip’s only Catholic parish to offer his prayers and words of support.

This is a practice he continued while he was recovering in the hospital in February.

The Palestinian resistance movement Ha-m-as extended its “deepest condolences and sincerest sympathies” to the Catholic Church and Christians worldwide, adding he was “a steadfast advocate for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly in his unwavering stance against the war and acts of genocide.”  

Meeting with Ayatollah Sistani

Probably one of the most notable inter-religious talks Pope Francis partook in was in March 2021, when the pontiff visited Najaf, Iraq to meet with Grand Ayatollah Sayed Ali Al-Sistani, the head Shia Muslim cleric of Iraq.

This was a historic visit, as it marked the first time a pope had met a grand ayatollah. In a lengthy exchange, both leaders expressed mutual respect and outlined shared goals for promoting peace, tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and common values within their communities and beyond.

One goal that the pope expressed in this meeting was the strengthening of ties with the Christian community in Iraq, and the advocacy for their rights and safety.

In the same vein, Ayatollah Sistani urged Pope Francis to speak out for Palestine and its oppressed population, highlighting that it was the home of Jesus himself, and where he began his prophetic mission.

The Pope went on to become more vocal about the Palestinian cause, especially throughout the 17 months of genocide.

Peace with the Islamic Republic of Iran

A more recent historic inter-religious event marked the pontiff’s papacy, when on Nov. 20, 2024, Pope Francis addressed participants in the twelfth Colloquium sponsored by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, where he made some references to Iran as representatives of Islam from that country were present.

Among the topics discussed was his plan to elevate the Archbishop of Tehran to the College of Cardinals, and the dear space that the Catholic Church holds in his heart.

He stressed to the audience that any rumors claiming that the Church is against the Iranian government is a lie, and that with its help, the Church bears all challenges it faces in its mission as it rejects all ethnic, religious, and political discrimination. 

Pope Francis left a legacy of inter-religious dialogue, political bridges, and support for the oppressed throughout the course of his 12 year papacy. He was a strong advocate for global peace, demanding justice for the poor and the dispossessed while railing against unbridled capitalism and climate change. 

As the genocide in Gaza rages on, the people of Palestine and West Asia have lost an influential supporter and voice of compassion. Pope Francis stood as a rare beacon of moral clarity, urging the global Catholic and Christian Community to see the realities of the Israeli occupation.

In his passing, the world loses not just a pontiff, but a peacemaker whose legacy will continue to inspire the fight for dignity, freedom, and understanding.