BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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The world awoke to somber news on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025: Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had passed away at the age of 88. His death, officially confirmed at 7:35 AM CEST in his residence at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City, was the result of complications stemming from double pneumonia and a suspected stroke. For many across the globe, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, his passing signals not just the end of a papacy but the close of a profound chapter in the history of the Church.
Pope Francis was no ordinary pontiff. Elected in 2013, he was the first pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit pope, and the first non-European pontiff in over a millennium. Yet beyond these historic firsts, it was the substance of his leadership that left an indelible mark on the world. Known for his humility, simplicity, and tireless advocacy for the poor and marginalized, Pope Francis sought to reorient the Catholic Church toward compassion, inclusion, and action. He washed the feet of prisoners, embraced climate justice as doctrine, and called out social inequality wherever it reared its head. His teachings often transcended religious lines, transforming him into a global moral figure as much as a religious one.
Throughout his twelve-year tenure, Pope Francis became a symbol of courage in the face of convention. He confronted the Church’s sexual abuse crisis with candor, encouraged interfaith dialogue in a polarized world, and strove to modernize Vatican doctrine without unraveling its roots. His papacy was not without controversy, but few could deny his intent–to bring the Church closer to the people, and the people closer to each other. Even toward the end of his life, as health complications mounted and rumors of abdication swirled, Francis remained firmly rooted in his mission, insisting he would serve until death. And so he did.
Following his passing, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, set Vatican protocols in motion. The papal apartments were sealed, the Fisherman’s Ring and official seal were destroyed, and the traditional nine-day mourning period, the Novendiales, commenced. Yet even these age-old rituals bear a distinctive difference in honor of Pope Francis’s unique legacy. Per his wishes for simplicity, his body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica without the traditional elevated platform. His final resting place will be the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, making him the first pope since 1903 to be buried outside the Vatican.
The world’s grief has been echoed by global leaders and spiritual figures. Former U.S. President Joe Biden, King Charles III, the Dalai Lama, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres all released heartfelt tributes, each recognizing Pope Francis’s deep commitment to peace, justice, and environmental stewardship. In Italy, the nation ground to a halt in collective mourning–Serie A football matches were postponed, flags flew at half-mast, and crowds gathered silently in Vatican Square, candlelight flickering like prayers in the wind.
As the Church prepares for what comes next, attention now shifts to the College of Cardinals. Only those under the age of 80 will participate in the secretive and sacred papal conclave, which is expected to begin between May 6 and 11. In the Sistine Chapel, under the gaze of Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling, ballots will be cast in silence and smoke–white for a decision, black for delay–until a new pontiff emerges with the weight of 1.3 billion Catholics on his shoulders.
But whoever dons the white cassock next will inherit more than a title. They will inherit a Church irrevocably shaped by the man who refused its gold trappings, rode a Ford Focus, and said, again and again, “Who am I to judge?” They will follow a spiritual titan who reminded the world that faith is not only about doctrine, but about action, humility, and love.
In death, as in life, Pope Francis continues to challenge the Church and the world to be better–not just holier. And as the bells toll in Vatican City and around the globe, they ring not just in mourning, but in gratitude for a life lived with grace, and a papacy that reshaped the course of history.
