Pope Francis has died after serving as pope since March 2013.
Pope Francis passed away at the Vatican on April 21, after leading the Catholic faithful since March 2013. His election as pope was characterized by firsts: He was the first man from outside of Europe to become pope in more than 1,200 years, the first supreme pontiff from South America, and the first member of the Jesuits to preside as bishop of Rome.
As head of the Holy See, Francis broke much new ground, and his leadership represented a significant shift in the office itself, focusing on bridging the widening gap between the elite administration of the Catholic Church and its flock. He also pioneered new approaches to long-held Catholic traditions and practices.
(Take a close look at Pope Francis’s first visit to the United States.)
