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Moon Jae-in, who served as President from 2017-2022, allegedly received bribes from the founder of budget carrier Thai Easter Jet.
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean prosecutors indicted former liberal President Moon Jae-in on bribery charges Thursday, saying that a budget airline gave his son-in-law a lucrative no-show job during Moon’s term in office.
Moon’s indictment adds him to a long list of South Korean leaders who have faced trials or scandals at the close of their terms or after leaving office.
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Prosecutors allege that Moon, who served as president from 2017-2022, received bribes totaling 217 million won ($151,705) from Lee Sang-jik, founder of the budget carrier Thai Eastar Jet, in the form of wages, housing expenses and other financial assistance provided to Moon’s then-son-in-law from 2018-2020.
South Korean media reported that Moon’s daughter and her husband were divorced in 2021.
The Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement that Lee was also indicted on charges of paying bribes to Moon and committing breaches of trust.
The prosecutors’ office said Moon’s former son-in-law was hired as a director-level employee at Lee’s company in Thailand even though he had no work experience in the airline industry. The office said he spent only brief periods at the company’s office in Thailand and carried out only minor duties while claiming to be working remotely from South Korea.
The prosecutors’ office said it had not found evidence that Moon directly performed political favors for Lee, but that Lee, who worked on Moon’s campaign, likely expected his assistance to be repaid.
Lee was later named the head of the state-funded Korea SME and Startups Agency and was nominated by Moon’s party to run for parliament while Moon was in office. A former Moon aide on personnel affairs was earlier indicted over Lee’s agency job appointment, but prosecutors said she refused to testify during questioning so they were unable to find any direct evidence that Moon helped Lee win that position.
Moon’s indictment comes before South Korea elects a new president on June 3 to succeed conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over an ill-fated imposition of martial law in December. Yoon, a former top prosecutor, now stands a criminal trial on rebellion charges connection with his martial law decree.
It’s unclear if Moon’s indictment will influence prospects for liberals to win back the presidency. But observers say liberal presidential aspirant Lee Jae-myung is heavily favored to win the vote as conservatives remain in disarray over Yoon’s ouster, although Lee also faces criminal trials on allegations of corruption and other charges.
There was no immediate response from Moon. But his political allies at the main liberal opposition Democratic Party criticized the indictment, calling it a politically motivated attempt by Yoon supporters at the prosecution service to humiliate the former liberal leader ahead of the election.
Youn Kun-young, a Democratic Party lawmaker who worked at Moon’s presidential office, accused prosecutors of trying to divert attention from Yoon’s “tragic end” by putting Moon on trial to influence the election outcome. A Democratic Party committee separately warned it would hold the prosecution service to account for its indictment.
Most past South Korean presidents have been embroiled in scandal in the final months of their terms or after leaving office. In 2017, Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, was removed from office and arrested over an explosive corruption scandal.
Park’s conservative predecessor Lee Myung-bak was also arrested on a range of crimes, years after leaving office. Moon’s friend and former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun jumped to his death in 2009 amid corruption investigations into his family.
Moon is best known for his push to reconcile with rival North Korea as he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times and facilitated the start of the high-stakes nuclear diplomacy between Kim and President Donald Trump.
Moons’ supporters credit him with achieving now-stalled cooperation with North Korea and avoiding major armed clashes, but opponents say he was a naive North Korea sympathizer who ended up helping the North buy time to advance its nuclear program in the face of international sanctions and pressure.
President Trump and Prince William are among the key figures confirmed to be attending.
One of the most reform-driven leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, died on Monday, April 21. He was 88.
His passing came after continued health issues, which saw him endure a five-week hospital stay, from which he was released on March 23.
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In a statement announcing his death, the Vatican said: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized.”
Not only was the late Pope new in his approach to leading the Catholic Church, he was the first non-European to hold the position in more than 1,200 years and the first Latin American Pope.
The Vatican has since announced arrangements for the Pope’s funeral, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 26. The service will be held outdoors in front of St Peter’s Basilica. The public has had the chance to pay their respects to the Pope after his body was moved to the basilica to lie in state.
As such an important and influential figure to many, Pope Francis’ passing gained condolences and prayers from leaders worldwide. Figures from all sides of the political spectrum are set to attend his funeral, from U.S. President Donald Trump to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Cultural figureheads will be present at the service in Rome, too.
As it currently stands, here’s who is set to attend the funeral:
Donald and Melania Trump
The President confirmed via his social media platform, Truth Social, that himself and the First Lady, Melania Trump, are set to be in attendance. He said they both “look forward to being there.”
Vice President J.D. Vance met with the Pope on Easter Sunday in Rome, a day before his passing. The brief meeting came amid prickly relations between the Papacy and the Trump Administration, which had worsened in recent months as Pope Francis openly criticized U.S. policy on deportation.
Prince William
King Charles III’s eldest son, Prince William, is confirmed to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, according to a statement from Kensington Palace. William will be representing his father, just as Charles represented the late Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005.
The Prince of Wales’ attendance in place of the King is a modern tradition, and a statement to further establish William’s role as future king.
Keir Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also be representing the United Kingdom at the service, as confirmed by a spokesperson on April 22 during a Downing Street press briefing.
The Prime Minister expressed condolences for Pope Francis after his death, stating: “His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was often courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility.”
Volodymyr Zelensky
The Ukrainian President is confirmed to be in attendance for the service at St Peter’s Basilica, according to his communications advisor, Dmytro Lytvyn.
Zelensky paid tribute to the late Pope on his official X account, saying: “We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine. Our state will be represented in Rome at the farewell ceremony this coming Saturday.”
Pope Francis and the Ukrainian President last met in October 2024, during Zelensky’s European diplomatic tour.
Representation from Catholic-majority countries will be in attendance, as Irish President Michael D. Higgins will be present at the service on April 26, alongside Taoiseach [Prime Minister] Micheál Martin.
On April 22, Higgins paid tribute to the late Pope by signing a book of condolences for the Pontiff in Dublin, Ireland.
Ursula von der Leyen
Another key European figure, E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has confirmed that she will be present for Pope Francis’ funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Von der Leyen’s attendance sets the stage for a potential key meeting between herself and Trump. Whilst the President has paused additional tariffs on the E.U., this could still be a significant meeting between the two.
Javier Milei
Javier Milei, the conservative President of Pope Francis’ native Argentina, will also be travelling to Rome for Saturday’s funeral service, as confirmed via a government statement.
Milei was an open critic of the Pope’s views, adding in another statement: “Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”
Upon the news of the Pontiff’s passing, seven days of national mourning was announcedin Argentina.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly cancelled a visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in order to attend Saturday’s funeral.
In a statement paying tribute to Pope Francis, Meloni said: “I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased not even during times of trial and suffering.”
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia
Representing another Catholic-majority country, the head of the Spanish Crown will be in attendance for Pope Francis’ funeral, confirmed by the royal palace.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia both signed a book of condolences for the Pope in Madrid earlier in the week. President Pedro Sanchez will reportedly not be attending the service, although he has yet to publicly comment on this.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the head of state for Asia’s largest Catholic population will be present at Saturday’s service in Rome, confirmed in a statement via the Philippines government on April 23.
Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, 67, is one of the top contenders to be appointed as the next Pope. If elected, he would be the first from Asia in centuries and, after Pope Francis, the second non-European Pontiff in more than 1200 years.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
A well known and longtime friend of Pope Francis, the Brazilian government stated that Brazilian PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday to represent the world’s largest Catholic population.
During da Silva’s three terms as President, he met with the late Pope on a number of occasions. Offering his condolences after Pope Francis’ passing, the Brazilian official said: “Humanity has lost a voice of compassion and respect.”
António Guterres
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres paid his respects to the late Pope after his passing, and is expected to be in attendance at the funeral in Rome, according to Reuters.
In a statement, Guterres said: “He was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice… our divided and discordant world will be a much better place if we follow his example of unity and mutual understanding in our own actions.”
Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej Duda was confirmed to be attending the funeral service, via an official update shared on X.
In a statement made on the day of the Pope’s passing, Duda wrote: “He was a great apostle of Mercy, in which he saw an answer to the challenges of the modern world.”
Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly told local reporters that he will be in attendance for the Pontiff’s funeral in Rome.
Although Pope Francis was notably absent from the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last December, his subsequent visit to the French island of Corsica proved to be his final trip abroad.
Olaf Scholz
Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be present at the funeral, according to a government spokesperson.
Scholz will also be joined by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Rome. However, incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz is not expected to be in attendance.
Peter Pellegrini
Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini offered condolences in reaction to Pope Francis’ passing, whilst confirming his attendance at the funeral in Rome.
In a statement, Pellegrini said: “We have been left by a man who enchanted everyone with his humanity, humility and wisdom.”
Alexander Van der Bellen
The Austrian President will be present at the Pontiff’s funeral, as confirmed by the Austrian Catholic Church.
In his statement commemorating Pope Francis, Van der Bellen said: “For me, the name Francis will always stand for closeness and humanity.”
Gitanas Nausėda
It has been confirmed that Gitanas Nausėda, the Lithuanian President, will be in attendance for the service at St. Peter’s Basilica, per a presidential spokesperson.
Edgars Rinkēvičs
The office for the President of Latvia has confirmed that Edgars Rinkēvičs will be travelling to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Understanding the politics of the cardinals-and how Francis may have influenced the election of his successor.
When white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on March 13, 2013, alerting the public that the 115 cardinal electors inside had concluded their voting, few members of the public might have expected the Catholic Church’s 266th Pope to be Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
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At 76, Bergoglio was considered too old to be included on most media lists of papabili, or likely candidates for Pope. Prior to his papacy, bishops and cardinals typically submitted their resignations at 75. And the cardinal electors, who have always elected one of their own ranks, have an age cap of 80.
Hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio became the first Latin American Pope and the first non-European Pope in over 1,200 years. He was also the first Jesuit Pope—a Catholic religious order that emphasizes service to the marginalized. Upon his election, Bergoglio took the name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his asceticism and ministry to the poor. Overall, Francis was regarded as less conservative than his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.
With Francis’ death on Monday, at age 88, up to 135 eligible cardinal electors will decide on his successor. One hundred and eight—or 80%—of them were appointed by Francis during his papacy. It’s a fact that has left some wondering if the late Pope essentially “packed the court” to guarantee a continuation of his legacy. But experts suggest it’ll be as difficult to predict as Francis’ own election was.
“The history of the papacy of many hundreds of years suggests it’s very difficult for a Pope to control the election that follows his own death,” Miles Pattenden, a historian of the Catholic Church at Oxford University tells TIME. Cardinals are “their own men,” and even those picked by Francis may have their own opinions.
“It’s very simplistic to say cardinals just vote along ideological lines as though they’re part of political parties,” Pattenden says. “That’s not how the Vatican works.”
Pattenden also points to an Italian proverb: “After a fat Pope comes a thin one.”
“The idea of that is essentially that the cardinals very often focus on what they didn’t like about the previous Pope, all the things they thought were his faults and flaws, and they look for someone who remedies those.” The first question on cardinals’ minds will be whether they want change or continuity.
This conclave is already likely to be different from those in the past, however, Pattenden says. Firstly, it’s the largest number of eligible cardinal electors—in fact, it’s the first time that the number of eligible electors at a conclave has exceeded the traditional cap of 120, although Pattenden says it’s unlikely that the cap will be enforced. Secondly, the cardinals now are more geographically diverse than ever.
In 2013, 51% of cardinal electors were European. Now, around 39% are, while around 18% come from the Asia-Pacific, 18% from Latin America and the Caribbean, 12% come from Sub-Saharan Africa, 10% from North America, and 3% come from the Middle East and North Africa.
Francis played a big role in that shift. Of the 108 he appointed, 38% came from Europe, 19% from Latin America and the Caribbean, 19% from the Asia-Pacific, 12% from sub-Saharan Africa, 7% from North America, and 4% from the Middle East and North Africa.
Francis appointed cardinals from 25 countries that had never before had one. His appointments include Chibly Langlois, the first cardinal from Haiti, Charles Maung Bo, the first cardinal from Myanmar, and Hyderabad Anthony Poola, the first of India’s Dalit caste.
On many papabili lists, the range of candidates include several who would be historic firsts as pontiffs from Asia, such as Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, or Africa, such as Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson.
Francis prioritized inclusion within the Vatican, Pattenden explains, and so in appointing cardinals, he looked across the world, often to small Catholic communities that had not been represented before: He felt that “it shouldn’t just be the case that big, well-established, rich, old Catholic communities get representation all the time,” but ideologically, “Francis can’t necessarily have known how all of these new cardinals will think, certainly their colleagues won’t know—they may not even know themselves.”
Carlos Eire, a professor of history and religious studies at Yale University, however, thinks it’s likely that those Francis appointed will indeed lean ideologically left, noting that Francis did not appoint many conservative bishops to the College of Cardinals and that, while geographic diversity was a priority of his, theological diversity was not. Francis, for example, appointed American Robert McElroy in 2022, who is known for his advocacy on immigration and the environment and inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics, while reportedly bypassing more conservative archbishops. “When it comes to religious issues,” says Eire, “it is also highly likely that they will lean away from traditionalism.”
“Voting for a Pope is not much different from any other kind of voting. The voters have their preferences,” adds Eire. “The only difference between this conclave and the House of Representatives or the European Parliament is that the cardinals pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit.”
But, Pattenden says, it could come down more to charisma, competence, and piety than to ideology.
On that measure, the geographic diversity of the College of Cardinals could make this conclave particularly unpredictable. “They don’t know each other as well as previous groups of cardinals will have done, and that’s bound to have an impact,” Pattenden says. “When you have to focus on one person’s name to write down on that ballot paper, it may or may not be easier if you actually know the guy or if you’ve just met him a week or two before.”
If the result of that favors better known cardinals, Pattenden says Tagle from the Philippines, who is known as one of the most charismatic figures in the college, or Pietro Parolin, who is the highest-ranking cardinal in the electing conclave, would be frontrunners.
If neither of those two—or any other candidate—achieves the required two-thirds majority to win, it’s likely that cardinals “start casting a wider net,” says Pattenden, to candidates who may not have been their first choice.
“It’s a very secretive process … The Church is very, very careful that we don’t really know what happened,” Pattenden says, and what reports do come out later are often still not verified.
“This matters a lot in terms of the theology of the election: the idea is that God, through the Holy Spirit, comes down on the cardinals and inspires them and their choice. But the more that we know about what was said to who and who voted for what, the less plausible that idea is.”
Meet the Irish-American Camerlengo and Italian dean who are in charge of administering the Church during this interim period.
The film Conclave begins with the death of the Pope. It then follows the chain of events from that moment to the election of a new Pope, following a few characters—portrayed by a cast that won the top honor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards—who play key roles.
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In real life, after the death of Pope Francis on April 21, Cardinals Kevin Farrell, a 77-year-old Irish-American, and Giovanni Battista Re, a 91-year-old Italian, will take the places of actors John Lithgow and Ralph Fiennes, as the Camerlengo, or Chamberlain, of the Holy Roman Church and Dean of the College of Cardinals, respectively.
Here’s what to know about the two Catholic leaders’ backgrounds and duties during the critical interregnum period for the Vatican.
Farrell’s first task on Monday morning was to announce Francis’ death to the world. Later that evening, he oversaw the sealing of the doors to the papal apartments where Francis lived.
As Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, a position he was appointed to by Francis in 2019, Farrell is charged with “safeguarding and administering the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See,” according to the Apostolic Constitution.
Following the death of a Pope, the Camerlengo becomes effectively the interim administrative leader of the Church, tasked with observing a set of traditions as well as following the late Pope’s wishes.
After certifying and announcing the Pope’s death and sealing the papal apartments, he must also destroy the Pope’s Fisherman’s Ring and lead bulla used as a signet.
The Camerlengo is also tasked with overseeing funeral arrangements and preparing for the conclave—or the election of a new Pope.
While the position is powerful and influential in the Vatican during this time, it is rare for a Camerlengo to be chosen as the next pontiff—according to the Times of London, historically only two Popes, Leo XIII in 1878 and Pius XII in 1939, ascended to the papacy from the prior position of Camerlengo.
Following in the footsteps of his older brother Brian, Farrell entered the Legionaries of Christ congregation in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1978 in Rome. (Brian Farrell served as the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity from 2002 until his retirement in 2024.)
As a priest, Farrell first served in Mexico as chaplain at the University of Monterrey. In 1984, he transferred to the archdiocese of Washington, where he served parishes in the District of Columbia and surrounding region. In 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Farrell as auxiliary bishop of Washington, where he served as vicar general for administration and moderator of the Curia until 2007.
From 2002 until 2006, Farrell worked and lived with then-Archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick—the infamous former cardinal who was defrocked in 2019 by Pope Francis following a Vatican probe into allegations of sexual abuse of minors and adults. Farrell has repeatedly denied prior knowledge of his former supervisor’s wrongdoing.
In 2007, Farrell was appointed bishop of Dallas.
In 2016, following Francis’ ascension after Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation in 2013, Farrell was tapped for a Vatican role leading the new Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life. The same year, he was made a cardinal.
Farrell, according to a 2016 CBS News report, is known as “a moderate with a warm, friendly approach.” He is largely perceived to agree with the late Pope on doctrinal issues, and has supported the late Pope’s hopes for larger reforms in the Catholic Church. Farrell has echoed Francis’ calls for increasing women’s participation in the church, though he controversially banned former Irish President Mary McAleese—who supports women’s ordination—from speaking at a Vatican event in 2018. Farrell has also echoed Francis’ defense of migrants’ rights, having previously written in a blog, per CBS, that “immigration reform is a moral issue.” In 2017 and 2018, Farrell caused controversy after saying that “priests are not the best people to train others for marriage.”
In what was largely seen as a vote of confidence, Francis nominated Farrell in 2019 to the Camerlengo post. Farrell’s subsequent appointments also hinted at the late Pope’s continued trust in him: he was named president of the Commission for Confidential Matters in 2020, chair of the Pontifical Committee for Investments in 2022, and president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court in 2023.
In a 2022 interview with Catholic magazine America, Farrell said he joked with Francis upon accepting the role of Camerlengo, not wanting to give thought to the Pope’s eventual retirement or passing: “I will accept this job Your Holiness, but on one condition, that you preach at my funeral!”
Who is Giovanni Battista Re and what are his duties?
Re is the dean of the College of Cardinals, the group of cardinal electors who will choose the next Pope.
Born on Jan. 30, 1934 in the Italian commune of Borno, Re is one of the longest-serving senior cardinals in the Vatican. According to his Vatican biography, Re holds a doctorate in canon law, and was ordained for the diocese of Brescia, where he taught in a seminary before entering the Holy See’s diplomatic service, for which he served missions in Panama and Iran. In 2001, Pope John Paul II proclaimed Re as a cardinal. Re was elected dean in 2020 and was set to serve a five-year term until Francis extended it in February.
In 2020, America described Re as someone who “knows the Roman Curia like few others.”
According to the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, the dean is tasked with communicating news of the Pope’s death, alongside the Camerlengo, and summoning the conclave. The dean technically does not hold authority over the cardinal electors, simply presiding over their congregations.
Previous deans have wielded considerable influence. Joseph Ratzinger was elected dean of the College of Cardinals in 2002, and three years later, he presided over Pope John Paul II’s funeral and was elected to be the next Pope, taking on the name Benedict XVI.
While typically the dean would preside over the conclave, neither Re nor his vice dean Cardinal Leonardo Sandri can participate this time because they are both over the age of 80. The administrative responsibilities during the vote will pass to the next most senior member of the College of Cardinals.
Once a new Pope has been chosen by the electors, it is the dean who asks the electee: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?” If the electee consents, the Dean then asks him what he has chosen as his papal name.
Francis, who died on Easter Monday, transformed the Catholic Church. He will be a tough act to follow.
With the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, his legacy has taken center stage. Undoubtedly, some attention will go to the Argentine’s failure to reverse the sharp decline of Catholicism in Latin America, home to roughly half the world’s Catholics. After all, that was the hope behind his selection to lead the Vatican in 2013. But his legacy nonetheless remains profound as the first Pope to hail from Latin America and the Global South.
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Most notably, Francis brought to the Church the ideas of Liberation Theology, a progressive philosophy that married Marxist critiques of capitalism with traditional Catholic concerns for the poor and marginalized. Its origins date to the 1968 Medellin Conference of Bishops. At that gathering, Latin American bishops agreed to prioritize liberalizing people from inequality, poverty, and political oppression, even at the expense of spreading the gospel. It led some Latin American churches to openly confront military regimes for their human rights abuses. This, in turn, exposed many clergy to political persecution, including Óscar Romero, the Salvadoran priest murdered by a right-wing death squad in 1980.
Francis was an improbable and imperfect ambassador for Liberation Theology. During the 1970s and 1980s, when clergy affiliated with the movement were threatened with excommunication, and, worst yet, enforced disappearance by the military during Argentina’s infamous “Dirty War,” Francis was mostly silent. He favored the more conventional “Theology of the People,” which prioritizes the poor but without the Marxist critique. But by the time he arrived in Rome, Liberation Theology was mainstream in Latin American Catholic thought. Francis himself had already embraced many of the movement’s leaders, including the late Peruvian priest Gustavo Gutiérrez, widely regarded as the father of Liberation Theology.
Although Francis never publicly acknowledged his intellectual debt to Liberation Theology, the movement’s influence over his papacy is undeniable. In his first papal pronouncement, Evangelii Gaudium, or “The Joy of the Gospel,” he denounced the twin evils of poverty and inequality. He also called on the rich to share their wealth with those less fortunate. Pointedly echoing Liberation Theology, Francis cited the “idolatry of money” and criticized “unfettered capitalism as a new tyranny.” He also exhorted politicians “to guarantee all citizens dignified work, education, and healthcare.” Unsurprisingly, these comments raised the ire of conservatives, especially in the U.S., where they were seen not only as an attack on capitalism but a veiled criticism of Washington.
A second legacy with close ties to Latin America, which also helped make Francis a polarizing figure on the right, is the environment. Francis unambiguously aligned the Vatican with the fight against climate change. In Laudato Si, or “Praise be to you, my Lord,” he laid out the case for human-caused climate change, noting that human activities are dramatically affecting the climate to the detriment of the world’s poorest people. By singling out humans as a primary cause of climate change, Francis was making a radical shift in the Vatican’s stance on the environment.Historically, the Catholic Church’s stand on climate change has veered toward silence and denialism.
Much of Francis’ concern for the environment reflected his understanding of how deforestation, pollution, and wild swings in weather disproportionately affect the poorest communities in Latin America. Calling attention to this was the purpose of a three-week Vatican synod held in 2019 that focused on the Amazon, the so-called “lungs of the world.” It brought together hundreds of bishops, Indigenous leaders, and environmental activists from nine South American countries.
The third and final legacy is the most surprising: the struggle for LGBTQ rights. Francis’ pontificate coincided with the Vatican’s sharp departure from its fierce opposition to homosexuality. That opposition was prominently displayed by Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, who once wrote that homosexuality is “an intrinsic moral evil.” To be sure, Francis’ record on LGBTQ issues is far from perfect, as a reported fondness for gay slurs makes clear. But throughout his papacy, he sought common ground with the gay community.
In 2013, when asked about homosexuals in the Catholic clergy, Francis replied: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” A 2020 documentary on Francis’ papacy revealed that he was a supporter of same-sex civil unions. This was followed by statements that priests would be allowed to bless same-sex couples and that transgender people can be baptized, become official godparents, and act as witness for Catholic weddings.
It is worth remembering that Francis arrived in Rome fresh from the epic culture war over same-sex marriage in Argentina, the first country in Latin America to legalize gay marriage, in July 2010. Ironically, Francis’ opposition to gay marriage in Argentina gave hope to many that his pontificate would strengthen the Vatican’s historic opposition to LGBTQ rights. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis declared gay marriage “the Devil’s work” and mobilized Catholics against it, prompting a backlash from President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. She characterized Francis’ words as “reminiscent of the Dark Ages and the Inquisition.”
The divisiveness of Argentina’s gay marriage campaign pushed Francis in the direction of conciliatory stances toward the gay community. Above all, the framing of the campaign, which stressed the humanity and morality of gay and lesbian couples, left a deep impression on Francis. After the gay marriage law was enacted, he reportedly met with gay rights activists to explain that while he opposed gay marriage, he supported their struggle for dignity and respect.
Pope Francis may not have saved Catholicism in Latin America. But he certainly transformed Catholicism in the image of Latin America. In the process, he made the Church more progressive at a time when the far-right is ascendant around the globe. Whether that direction continues will be up to the next Pontiff. But one thing is certain: Francis will be a tough act to follow.
Pope Francis didn't just preach from the pulpit-he lived among the people, especially the forgotten, writes John Hope Bryant.
On Monday morning, the world lost more than a religious leader. We lost a moral compass. A global shepherd for the poor. A gentle warrior who dared to tell the powerful the truth about their responsibilities to the powerless. His Holiness Pope Francis didn’t just preach from the pulpit—he lived among the people, especially the forgotten. In doing so, he redefined what moral leadership looks like in our time.
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I’m not Catholic. But I have always admired Pope Francis—not simply for his spiritual authority, but for his economic clarity. He understood something most leaders still struggle to grasp: the economy is not just a system. It’s a reflection of our values. And if our values are broken—if we worship money more than we uplift people—then the system will break too.
Pope Francis believed in capitalism, but not the kind that exploits, extracts, and abandons. He believed in an economy that works for everyone—especially the poor, the marginalized, the excluded. I call this “Good Capitalism.” And in his own way, so did he.
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Poverty is not just about money. It’s about a lack of access, a lack of opportunity, a lack of belief. It’s about systems that were never designed to work for everyone—but can be reimagined to do exactly that. Pope Francis preached the same gospel in different language. When he said, “No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world,” he was calling out the same economic injustice that inspired me to found Operation HOPE and launch Financial Literacy for All. When he declared that “an economy that excludes kills,” he wasn’t being dramatic. He was being accurate.
There’s a reason why Pope Francis chose the name of St. Francis of Assisi—the patron saint of the poor. He led with humility. He refused to live in the grand papal apartment. He drove a modest car. He washed the feet of prisoners. This wasn’t theater. It was theology. It was servant leadership in its purest form. And it was a quiet rebuke of the pride and greed that too often define our public life.
Pope Francis said, “The rich must help, respect, and promote the poor.” His life—and his death—should challenge all of us to ask harder questions: What kind of economy are we building? Who is it leaving behind? And what would it mean to put people—not profits—at the center of our decisions?
For me, this isn’t just theory. It’s practice. I’ve seen what happens when we teach someone how money works—when we improve a credit score, help someone buy their first home, or support a small business in a struggling community. Dignity returns. Hope is restored. And the economy grows—not just in dollars, but in strength.
This is what Pope Francis understood: that the economy is not a math problem. It’s a moral problem. And solving it starts not in boardrooms or bank vaults, but in hearts.
He may have been a pope. I’m just a businessman from Compton. But we both believed in the same truth: that we rise by lifting others. And that capitalism, when done right, can be one of the greatest tools for good the world has ever known. Pope Francis believed in “Good Capitalism.” I do too. And now more than ever, the world needs us to prove that it’s possible.
Pope Francis called a parish in Gaza each night to check in with them and ensure they felt his presence. Now, they are paying tribute.
Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21, after being released from hospital on March 23, following a five-week stay which saw him struggle with double pneumonia and its various complications. He was 88. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected as the successor to Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. He was the first non-European Pope in 1,200 years, and was noted for his calls for peace amid global conflict.
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As Pope Francis is remembered for his outreach to communities far beyond the Vatican, his relationship with the Holy Family parish in Gaza stands out. The Pope made daily calls to the tiny parish thousands of miles away from his home, starting the practice shortly after the onset of the Israel-Hamas War on Oct. 7, 2023.
Now, following Pope Francis’ death, the parish and its congregation are honoring the special relationship they shared with the religious leader.
“We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to keep patient and stay strong. We lost a man who fought every day in every direction to protect this small herd of his,” George Antone, head of the emergency committee at the Holy Family church in Gaza, toldReuters. “We are heartbroken because of the death of Pope Francis, but we know that he is leaving behind a church that cares for us and that knows us by name—every single one of us. He used to tell each one: I am with you, don’t be afraid.”
In a May 2024 interview with 60 Minutes, Pope Francis talked about how his calls to the parish in Gaza, occurring every evening at 7 p.m., were part of his daily routine. “They tell me about what happens there. It is very tough, very tough,” the Pontiff said. “I listen… and they tell me things. There is a lot of suffering.”
Pope Francis called the Holy Family church twice on the day of his hospitalization to reiterate his solidarity and support. While he then missed some days when he was first announced as critically ill, as soon as he resumed certain work duties from his hospital bed, he returned to the check-in calls.
In a video posted on Feb. 26 to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s website, Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Holy Family parish in Gaza shared how he rejoiced when the Pope called them again.
“That blessed call, as he did every day from the beginning of this terrible war. Pope Francis has called us once again to show his closeness, to pray for us, and to give us his blessing,” Father Gabriel, an Argentinian like Pope Francis, said. “This is always comforting, knowing that despite his delicate state of health, he continues to think and pray for everyone, for peace in Gaza, and thanking us.”
In a recording of a FaceTime call shared by the Vatican in January, the Pope could be seen speaking to Fathers Gabriel Romanelli and Youssef Asaad, the rector and vice rector of the parish. The Pontiff asked them how they were, and the conversation even spanned to what each had eaten for supper. He also introduced himself to a local doctor and child on the call.
Cardinal Nichols, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster in the U.K., spoke out about the special connection between Pope Francis and the Holy Family parish. “I was pleased to receive word from Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Holy Family church in Gaza, that he has recently spoken with Pope Francis and his community finds great comfort in hearing the Pope’s voice,” he said in a Feb. 27 update.
During the Pope’s hospitalization, the Holy Family parish joined together to film a video, sending the leader of the Catholic church their well wishes. “Everyone is praying for you, they are very grateful, and we all wish you health,” a priest said.
Pope Francis’ last phone call with the parish reportedly took place on the weekend before his death, per Reuters.
The Holy Family parish is the sole Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip—one of the most densely populated areas of the world and where nearly 70% of the structures have been destroyed due to the war, according to a December 2024 analysis by the United Nations. Christians reportedly encompass just 0.05% of the region, making them a religious minority. The parish holds mass and often hosts over 500 people, offering them food and shelter.
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Pope Francis had long expressed concern about the war that followed the events of Oct. 7. His prayers for the region were reiterated during what would become his last message and blessing Urbi Et Orbi on Easter Sunday. The Pope called for a cease-fire in Gaza and peace across other war-ridden areas of the world.
“I express my closeness to the sufferings of … all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” the Pope said in a message delivered to the public by an aide. “I appeal to the warring parties: call a cease-fire, release the hostages, and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!”
(Due to his poor health, Pope Francis was unable to preside over the Easter mass, but still made a public appearance and blessed those who had gathered.)
With his upcoming funeral, Pope Francis will one last time force the world to take a look at two U.S. Presidents who represent vastly different approaches to the job.
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Aboard Air Force One back in January, Joe Biden must have wondered if the cosmos was conspiring against him. With just a few days left in office, Biden had hoped to fulfill a personal wish: one last presidential meeting with Pope Francis.
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But factors beyond his control were making one final pilgrimage to the Vatican look increasingly unlikely.
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Biden, who considered the priesthood as a younger man and prides himself on his Catholicism, met three Popes during his half-century in politics, starting with Pope John Paul II in 1980. But it was Pope Francis with whom he has likely forged the deepest connection. After Beau Biden died in 2015, Pope Francis counseled the Biden clan working through their very public grief about the golden child of the family. Over six days that summer during the Pope’s tour of the United States, Biden was often just an arm’s length away. A year later, Biden was again with the Pope, speaking at a cancer conference at the Vatican. In the Oval Office, a photo of Francis was mixed in with those of family members on Biden’s desk. They spoke by phone from time to time, just to check in with a friendly voice.
As Biden flew back from a California besieged by a fast-growing series of wildfires, he dialed into a meeting underway with aides huddled around a conference table back in the West Wing. The trip out West went about as off-schedule as any presidential trip could, with detours and delays plaguing their plans. Now, they were discussing his upcoming three-day trip to Europe, which was set to include time for Biden to surprise Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. But the crisis situation on the West Coast had now made the notion of Biden leaving the country politically untenable. When he returned to the White House that evening, he told aides to scrap the planned trip, which was due to start the next day. Biden personally called Pope Francis to explain the situation and inform him that he would be receiving an unexpected honor by way of the Vatican’s diplomatic reps in Washington. It was that last conversation, on Jan. 11, that stung the President particularly hard, according to two people who were involved in that decision.
The Pope is now back on Biden’s agenda, but in a very different way. The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics died Monday, less than a month after a lengthy hospital stay for pneumonia. Biden—only the second Catholic to serve as President and one who still celebrates Mass most weekends—will likely want to attend Francis’ funeral, according to those in his inner circle. The politics of that might get tricky, as it’s not at all clear whether the current President has any interest in paying respects to a spiritual leader with whom he repeatedly clashed.
The funeral of a Pope—especially the first from the Americas, not to mention the first Jesuit—tends to be one of those events that dominates the diplomatic calendar. Its significance is up there with the deaths of icons like Nelson Mandela or a British monarch. It’s a moment that demands delicacy, and that is not exactly a skillset radiating from those in power in Official Washington.
In the early days of Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, Trump seemed to relish picking a fight with Francis—who was on his way to visit the United States with Biden as his de facto chaperone—suggesting the pontiff was weak and was offering an opening for ISIS to take over the Vatican. During the 2016 South Carolina primary, Trump and the Pope got into a full-blown skirmish from afar, with Francis questioning if Trump was even Christian and the real estate tycoon suggesting the pontiff was a tool of the Mexican government. (Trump’s aides eventually convinced him the fight was not a net gain as he tried to convince voters of faith to take a chance on the thrice-married billionaire.)
The rift continued through Trump’s first term, although the pair’s meeting during Trump’s first foreign trip in office went pleasantly enough. Pope Francis, born in Buenos Aires to an Italian family fleeing fascism in Mussolini’s era, had little regard to Trump’s hard-line immigration views and never shied from criticizing his plans for a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. “Builders of walls sow fear,” Pope Francis said during a visit to Panama. On a flight back from another trip, he told reporters that border walls were not the answer: “Those who build walls will become prisoners of the walls they put up.”
The enmity did not fade. Earlier this year, Trump’s top enforcer on border issues, Tom Homan, suggested the Pope was a hypocrite. “They have a wall around the Vatican. If you illegally enter the Vatican, the crime is serious. You’ll be charged with a serious crime and jailed,” Homan said.
Trump’s nominee to be his Ambassador to the Vatican, Brian Burch, has been a partisan operative and vocal papal critic, making it an awkward fit if he is confirmed as expected.
On another timeline, the White House might have made better use of Vice President J.D. Vance, who was baptized as a Catholic in 2019, to smooth things over with one of the world’s top religious leaders. But Vance’s aggressive cheerleading of Trump’s policies complicated that approach, so much so that Pope Francis dressed-down U.S. Bishops in a letter in February for not doing more to object to Vance’s defense of the deportation program on theological grounds. The skirmish continued, with Cardinal Timothy Dolan denouncing Vance’s suggestions that financial incentives were behind Catholic bishops’ defense of migrants as “nasty.” On Sunday, the day before Francis’ passing, Vance exchanged Easter greetings with an ailing Pope. Vance’s motorcade, according to the Associated Press, was on Vatican territory for just 17 minutes.
Contrast allthat to Biden, who met three times with Francis while Biden spent eight years as Vice President and twice when he became President. During a 2021 visit, the pair spent an astonishing 90 minutes together as aides from both delegations kept looking at each other, as if to ask which side wanted to interrupt the bosses. Those close to Biden say his humility toward Francisis genuine, with Biden often reminding his priest pals here in the United States that the Pope himself referred to him as a “good Catholic.” The last trip to the Vatican was meant as a reward for both men, who recognize they are often out-of-step with those around them and too often counted out.
Biden advisers say the boss and the Pope would occasionally trade phone calls, often with informal gut-checks and spiritual check-ins. In a December call, the Pope lobbied Biden to soften death-row sentences for convicts. Biden ultimately commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, tampering Trump’s plans to resume executions once back in office.
There were no immediate details about Trump’s plans around the funeral. (Francis revised his funeral plans last year to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, not in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica where most Popes find their final resting place.)
State affairs like a papal funeral typically bring even warring political rivals together. When Mandela passed away in 2013, then-President Barack Obama invited former President George W. Bush to join him on a whirlwind trip to South Africa where they were on the ground for just 13 hours. Even though Obama spent much of his 2008 presidential campaign eviscerating Bush, the two men were professional enough to bury the hatchet; Bush even showed off some of his post-White House paintings from his iPad, and Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton all made pleasant conversations in the Air Force One conference room.
Trump is no Obama, to put it mildly. Trump’s capacity for grievance knows no limit, throwing uncertainty over whether he is willing to travel to attend Francis’ funeral. The prospect of him viewing Biden’s possible effort to attend in a positive light seems improbable.
So, in an unexpected way, Pope Francis one last time is holding a mirror up to this world and forcing us to take a look at two very different Presidents who represent vastly different approaches to the job. In the incumbent, there is a figure who has little regard for anyone who dares question his infallibility. In the former, there lies a sorrowed soul who thought of the Pope as the ultimate counselor to a President who wanted advice on what doing the right thing looked like in practice. In those two pews, America’s civic religion shows itself, with Biden and Trump clearly sitting on different sides of the chapel.
Here's what to know about how the process works and who some of the frontrunners are to succeed Francis.
Pope Francis passed away at age 88 on April 21, just a day after an Easter Sunday appearance at St. Peter’s Square, where he gave well-wishes to thousands of Catholic supporters. The Vatican said Monday that Francis died after a stroke.
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Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was elected Pope in 2013 after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope to resign in about 600 years. Francis, chosen as TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year, became the first Latin American pontiff when he took the reins of the religious institution. Over his term, Francis became known for his humility and calls for peace during major global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Gaza humanitarian crisis.
As the world mourns Francis and commemorates his life’s legacy, his death also kickstarts a leadership transition period at the Vatican known as the interregnum, during which there is no Pope in power (referred to as sede vacante, or the “vacant seat”).
Here’s what to know about how the next Pope will be selected—and who some of the frontrunners are.
What happens when a Pope dies?
After the Pope dies, the Vatican’s traditional nine days of mourning called the novendiales begin.
The election of a new Pope begins between 15 to 20 days after the death. The camerlengo, a cardinal in the Catholic Church, is in charge of organizing the election in a process known as the conclave, which was recently dramatized in the award-winning 2024 film Conclave.
The actual election, however, is preceded by general congregations that are called both to discuss the growing challenges facing the Catholic Church. The general congregations must be attended by all cardinals who “are not legitimately impeded,” according to the Apostolic Constitution.
Cardinals are special bishops and other Vatican officials who serve as the Pope’s counselors and visually distinguish themselves with a red cloak. There are more than 250 total cardinals, all of whom are men and most of whom come from Europe, according to the Vatican. While all cardinals can participate in the daily meetings that occur prior to the election, only 120 cardinals—all of whom have to be under the age of 80—can actually vote in the conclave. It is not clear how the 120 voters are selected.
In December, Francis appointed 21 new Cardinals, hailing from six different continents and many of whom reflect more modern and progressive ideals, such as support for inclusivity of LGBTQ+ Catholics, according to NPR. Overall, it is believed that Francis will have personally selected about 80% of those who will choose his successor.
At the Vatican, the electors stay in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. It’s where Francis chose to live, in a two-room suite, rather than the posh papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace. Typically, the electorate begins its work with a mass to ask for spiritual guidance, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The conclave is an act of supreme secrecy. Vatican City becomes extremely regulated, as cardinals are not permitted to communicate with anyone “outside the area where the election is taking place, except in cases of proven and urgent necessity,” per the Apostolic Constitution. Following the funeral rites and mass for a deceased Pope, the electors then process to the Sistine Chapel, where they take an oath of discretion, and close the doors to the public.
Electors all vote secretly via ballots that read in summum pontificem, or “I elect as supreme pontiff. ”The twice-folded ballots are placed in urns and counted by three cardinals chosen by a random draw from the electors to be scrutineers. Votes are then recorded and read aloud to all cardinals present. The process continues until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, per USCCB.
The process is governed by the Vatican constitution known in Latin as Universi Dominici Gregis, or “the Lord’s whole flock.” First issued by St. John Paul II in 1996, it used to allow for a new pope to be elected by a simple majority—rather than two-thirds—after 33 rounds of ballots starting on the second day of the conclave. But it was amended by Benedict XVI to remove the provision in 2007. Instead, a long-drawn conclave would be decided by a runoff between the top two candidates (that excludes the two candidates from voting) until one receives a two-thirds majority.
The public is kept abreast of the voting process through smoke signals created by the burning of ballots. White smoke means that cardinals have selected a new Pope, while black smoke means another round of voting has to take place.
Once the conclave elects a Pope, the dean of the College of Cardinals—currently, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re—asks him if he accepts the title, and the candidate is dressed and picks his papal name before he walks out to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. There, the senior cardinal deacon—who at the time of Francis’ death was French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti—tells the crowd assembled below, “Habemus Papam,” (Latin for “we have a Pope”) and introduces the Church’s new leader by the name he has chosen.
Who is eligible to become the next Pope?
The College of Cardinal’s Report, a website aimed at providing more information on potential successors, has identified 22 cardinals who it believes are “papabili,” or most likely to be elected Pope. Some of the qualities a cardinal considered papabili should possess include humility, zeal for the Catholic faith, and the promotion of goodness, according to the report. “But predicting the next Pope is notoriously precarious and he may be none of those we propose,” it caveats. Pope Francis, for example, was not on many papabili lists in 2013, because many considered him to be too old.
Despite calls for greater leadership opportunities for women within the Catholic Church during last year’s synod, a summit among Catholic leaders, women are still ineligible to be ordained as priests and therefore are also ineligible for the papacy.
While not explicitly outlined in any specific Church regulations, every Pope has had the status of a cardinal before they took their role as pontiff.
Here are some of the most discussed candidates who may be considered to be the next Pope:
Jean-Marc Aveline
Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, is well-known for his support for migrants. That stance is personal, as the cardinal himself fled his home due to war when he was just four years old. His family eventually settled in Marseille, France, a city with a substantial Muslim population, making him keen to interfaith dialogues. Aveline has a doctorate in theology. He is reportedly Pope Francis’ “favorite” possible successor, according to the College of Cardinals Report, though he differs from Francis in that he expressed caution at blessings for same-sex couples, as opposed to individuals.
Joseph Tobin
Joseph Tobin, 72, is a highly progressive candidate for the Church and has amassed substantial influence in the U.S. Tobin has voiced avid support for LGBTQ+ Catholics, women in the Church, and migrants, even going against then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence over the politician’s efforts to stop the resettlement of Syrian refugees. He previously worked in the role of a second-in-command of the Vatican office before his current role as the Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey. In that position, he’s dealt with the high-profile Theodore McCarrick sexual assault scandal.
Juan Jose Omella
Juan Jose Omella, 79, worked as an advisor to Pope Francis prior to his passing. The Spanish cardinal earned his red cloak just one year after he was given the title of archbishop. He has spoken strongly against abortion, but has made controversial comments regarding reports of sexual abuse within the Catholic Chruch in Spain, calling the estimated figures that fell in the hundreds of thousands “lies.” He followed that by saying that “We will not tire of asking for forgiveness from the victims and working for their healing.” Omella studied theology and philosophy at the Seminary of Zaragoza.
Pietro Parolin
Italian Pietro Parolin, 70, has been serving as the Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2013 and is the highest-ranking cardinal in the electing conclave. He is considered an expert on a number of geo-political issues. From 2002 to 2009, he was undersecretary of state for Relations with States and directed relations with Vietnam, North Korea, Israel, and China.
Péter Erdő
Péter Erdő, 72, would be a more conservative pick for the top post. In 2003, at 51, the Hungarian national was made one of the Church’s youngest cardinals after being appointed by John Paul II. He has opposed divorced and remarried individuals taking communion, believing that marriage is indissoluble, and is against same-sex marriage. His stance on immigration, a key issue in Hungary, has also come under fire in the past: he once compared taking in refugees to human smuggling, but is said to have changed his stance after a meeting with Pope Francis, who was much more liberal on issues of immigration and refugees.
Peter Turkson
Peter Turkson, 76, would be a progressive pick for the Church. Turkson, an archbishop from Ghana, was first named cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. Turkson was selected by Pope Francis to help lead special assemblies advocating for development in the pan-Amazon region, and a council for justice and peace. In March, the University of Dayton announced that Turkson would be receiving an honorary doctorate this year, calling him a “tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized, championing the cause of human dignity.” At least six other colleges have also recognized him with an honorary doctorate.
Luis Antonio Tagle
If elected, Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, would be the first modern-day Asian Pope. Currently serving as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Tagle is more left-leaning, having spoken out against the isolating impact of the Church’s harsh language against same-sex marriage.
“Yes, I think even the language has changed already, the harsh words that were used in the past to refer to gays and divorced and separated people, the unwed mothers etc, in the past they were quite severe,” he said in 2015. “Many people who belonged to those groups were branded and that led to their isolation from the wider society.
Mario Grech
Mario Grech, 68, is the secretary general of the Synod. The Malta-born cardinal has expressed his disapproval of divorce and in vitro fertilization, but in the same breath called on the Catholic church to accept divorced and gay couples. The Church should be “an experience of God” instead of a “moral agency” he told the SundayTimes of Malta in a 2015 interview. Under his current role in the church, Grech was in charge of overseeing the Synod of Synodality—when religious leaders gather to consult on the future direction of the Church—making him well-connected among bishops and cardinals. He has been outspoken in his support of migrants, calling on Europe to better address the humanitarian issue at-hand. He added: “It is also important in such a delicate sector not to allow institutional discrimination between the well-off foreigners and the poor, those coming from the East and those coming from Africa.”
Matteo Maria Zuppi
Italian Matteo Maria Zuppi, 69, has taken the lead from Francis in his attempts to foster a more inclusive environment within the church. He served as special envoy to Russia and Ukraine, and has engaged in dialogue with leaders in Kyiv, Moscow, Washington D.C., the West Bank, and Beijing.
He has been open about his acceptance of homosexuality and is also supportive of prisoners rights and the abolition of the death penalty, and in June 2023 he called for a “legal system that guarantees protection and welcome for all.”
Here's how J.D. Vance, Narendra Modi, and others are reacting to the death of the Catholic Church leader.
Church bells tolled across Rome, and tributes have been pouring in from around the world after the Vatican on Monday announced the death at age 88 of Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church since 2013.
Francis made his last public appearance at St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, after a prolonged hospitalization due to a respiratory issue that had developed into double pneumonia.
Before his death, Francis on Sunday also met briefly with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who is Catholic, at the Vatican. (Francis had previously criticized the Trump Administration’s immigration policies.)
Vance posted on X early Monday that he had just learned of the Pope’s passing, and he shared a link to a March 2020 homily that he said he would remember him by. “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Vance noted. “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.”
A number of other global leaders also mourned Francis and honored his legacy in statements.
Donald Trump
The White House posted “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis” on X, alongside images of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meeting with Francis in 2017 and Vance’s recent meeting.
Trump later said he and the First Lady will attend Francis’ funeral, posting on his social media platform Truth Social: “We look forward to being there!”
President Javier Milei of Argentina, where Francis was originally from, posted on X, “It is with profound sorrow that I learned this sad morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, passed away today and is now resting in peace.”
Born in Buenos Aires in 1936, Francis became the first Argentinian pope. But he never visited his homeland during his papacy, in part out of concern that he would face political pressures, although he raised the possibility of returning last year. “I am worried because the people are suffering a lot. It is a difficult moment for the country,” he said in an interview on an Italian program on Jan. 14, 2024. He met with Milei at the Vatican in February last year.
“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” Milei added in his tribute.
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin, Ireland’s taoiseach, also issued a statement on social media to extend his condolences. Martin celebrated Francis’ “long and distinguished papacy” and “unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity. He spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed. His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world.”
Martin added that the late Pope holds “a special place in the hearts of the Irish people,” citing a visit to Ireland in August 2018, where Francis expressed pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church.
“I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Dublin Castle during that visit and was impressed by his vision of a Catholic Church that is open, compassionate, and focused on the needs of the most vulnerable,” Martin added. “He shared with us his deep concern with the issues of social justice and human rights, and his profound commitment to alleviating suffering. Pope Francis’s legacy is his message of peace, reconciliation, and solidarity that lives in the hearts of those he inspired. May he rest in peace, and may his memory continue to guide us as we strive to build a world that reflects his vision of love and compassion for all.”
Keir Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement, “Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost the faith-fuelled hope of a better world.”
“With his death, we are reminded once more of his call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs,” Starmer added.
King Charles
King Charles also shared a message on X: “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. … The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.”
Emmanuel Macron
“From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. To unite Humans with each other and with nature. May this hope perpetually rise beyond him,” French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X.
Roberta Metsola
Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, posted on X: “Europe mourns the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His contagious smile captured millions of people’s hearts across the globe. ‘The People’s Pope’ will be remembered for his love for life, hope for peace, compassion for equality & social justice.”
Ursula von der Leyen
“Today, the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, posted on X. “He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate. My thoughts are with all who feel this profound loss. May they find solace in the idea that Pope Francis’ legacy will continue to guide us all toward a more just, peaceful and compassionate world.”
Friedrich Merz
“Francis will be remembered for his tireless commitment to the weakest in society, to justice and reconciliation. Humility and faith in God’s mercy guided him in this,” Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, posted on X in German. “In doing so, the first Latin American to sit on the Holy See touched people worldwide, across denominational boundaries. My thoughts at this time are with the faithful around the world who have lost their Holy Father.”
Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, also posted a message on X, which included a photo of him and Francis together: “Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Modi said, adding: “I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace.”
Filippo Grandi
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, posted on X: “You stood up and spoke out—relentlessly—for the poor, the persecuted, the victims of war, the refugees, the migrants. May you continue to give us faith and courage in this brutal world.”
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X: “Millions of people around the world are mourning the tragic news of Pope Francis’s passing. His life was devoted to God, to people, and to the Church. He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity. He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians. We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!”
Francis was outspoken in his stance against war and appeals for peace, including calling for ceasefires in Ukraine and Gaza. “In Ukraine, rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not just a military operation but a war which sows death, destruction and misery,” he said on March 6, 2022 about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences on the Pope’s death on Monday, according to Reuters. “Throughout the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See,” Putin said.
William Samoei Ruto
Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto posted on X, “This is a big loss to the Catholic faithful and the Christian world. Pope Francis will be remembered for a life dedicated to serving the Lord, the Church, and humanity. … His strong ethical and moral convictions inspired millions across the world, regardless of faith or background.”
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of the Philippines, a Catholic-majority country in Southeast Asia, told local reporters that Francis was “one of a kind,” adding: “I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime as far as I’m concerned.”
In an official statement posted on social media, Marcos said: “A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten. … It is a profoundly sad day.”
James Marape
Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea, where almost a third of the population is Catholic, extended his condolences. “Pope Francis led with grace and courage, and his voice for the voiceless resonated around the world. His legacy will endure in the hearts of millions, including the people of Papua New Guinea,” Marape said in a statement.
Joseph Aoun
President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon mourned Francis’ passing, calling the late pontiff “a dear friend and staunch supporter” of the crisis-hit country and his death “a loss for all of humanity,” in a post on X in Arabic. “The late Pope always held Lebanon in his heart and prayers, and he repeatedly called on the world to support Lebanon in its ordeal,” Aoun added. “We will never forget his repeated calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity.”
Flags were flown at half-mast at Baabda Palace, the official presidential residence in honor of the Pope.
Abiy Ahmed
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali of Ethiopia said in a statement on social media: “I extend my deepest condolences on the passing of Pope Francis. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his legacy of compassion, humility, and service to humanity continue to inspire generations to come.”
Fattah al-Sisi
In a statement, Egypt President Fattah al-Sisi mourned Francis’ death and mentioned his support for Palestinians, saying: “His departure leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of compassion and humanity that will forever remain etched in the conscience of mankind.”
Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her grief over the Pope’s passing in a post on X in Italian. “I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering,” Meloni said. “In the meditations of the Via Crucis, he reminded us of the power of the gift, which makes everything flourish again and is capable of reconciling what in the eyes of man is irreconcilable. And he asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects’. We will walk in this direction, to seek the path of peace, pursue the common good and build a more just and equitable society. His teaching and his legacy will not be lost. We greet the Holy Father with hearts full of sadness, but we know that he is now in the peace of the Lord.”
William Lai Ching-te
“My sincerest condolences on behalf of the people of Taiwan to the Catholic community and everyone mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” its President William Lai Ching-te posted on X. “We will continue to draw inspiration from his lifelong commitment to peace, global solidarity, and caring for those in need.” The Vatican is one of a few states to have full diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva posted on X in Portuguese after the Pope passed: “humanity loses a voice of respect and acceptance of others. Pope Francis lived and propagated in his daily life the love, tolerance and solidarity that are the basis of Christian teachings.”
Anthony Albanese
Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement shortly after the Francis’ death, saying: “The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere was ‘close to the people of Australia’. For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father.”
Jose Ramos-Horta
Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste, which is mostly made up of Catholics, told Reuters that Francis “leaves behind a profound legacy of humanity, of justice, of human fraternity, a tremendous loss for the world, not only for Christians.” Ramos-Horta added that national flags would be flown at half-mast for one week in honor of the late pontiff.
Muhammad Yunus
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who is the interim leader of Bangladesh, said in a post on X that “the people of Bangladesh, who were deeply honoured by His Holiness’ historic visit to our country in 2017, join the global community in mourning this great loss.”
“I have been honoured to meet many times with Pope Francis and to work closely with him to foster peace, human dignity and environmental stewardship,” Yunus added. “With his passing away, we have seen the end of an epoch of dignified papacy, honed by suave leadership qualities, carried out for uplifting human dignity, interfaith harmony, and justice for the marginalized.”
Dalai Lama
According to a post on Instagram, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, wrote to Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, to express his sadness over Francis’ death. “His Holiness Pope Francis dedicated himself to the service of others,” the Dalai Lama said, “consistently revealing by his own actions how to live a simple, but meaningful life. The best tribute we can pay to him is to be a warm-hearted person, serving others wherever and in whatever way we can.”
Claudia Sheinbaum
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the late pontiff in a post on X in Spanish, calling Francis a “humanist who stood for the poor, peace, and equality.” She added: “He left behind a great legacy of true love for one’s neighbor. For Catholics and non-Catholics alike, this is a great loss. Knowing him was a great honor and privilege. May he rest in peace.”
Viktor Orbán
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán posted on X: “We mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis @Pontifexa shepherd who led with courage & unwavering faith. Twice, we had the honour of welcoming him to Hungary. His prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Hungary, still resonates: ‘Instil into the hearts of people and the leaders of nations the desire to build peace.’ We will honour his legacy. May he rest in eternal peace.”
Isaac Herzog
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog posted on X in Arabic: “The late Pope Francis was a man of great faith and compassion, who dedicated his life to serving the poor around the world and advocating for peace in a complex and turbulent time. His Holiness understood the importance of deepening relations with the Jewish world and sought to promote interfaith dialogue as a means of achieving mutual understanding and respect.”
Gustavo Petro
Colombia President Gustavo Petro posted on X that a “great friend” had passed away and that as a result he felt “a little alone.”
Of Francis, Petro added: “He fully understood his role as a spiritual leader in the great struggle for life, in the greedy causes of extinction. His encyclicals will go down in history if we are able to build a humanity that defends its greatest good: Life.”
