Pope Francis was the spiritual leader of over 1.3 billion Catholics all over the world and was also the head of the Vatican, which was the smallest job in the country. His job consisted of leading prayers, setting the tone for Church teachings, meeting with world leaders, and speaking out on very major issues like war, poverty and climate change. The pope was a voice of hope and peace for many. Since becoming the pope in 2013, he has focused on making the church more welcoming and more considerate and aware of real world problems. He would always talk about caring for the poor, protecting the planet and showing empathy to people of all backgrounds. His letter to Laudato Si’ talked about the environment  and how we should take climate change more seriously. He also talked about more important conversations inside the church about topics like LGBTQ+ inclusivity, women’s role. 

Pope Francis was more than the head of the Catholic Church; he was a voice and leader for change. As he has now passed away at the age of 88,  people are starting to question the future of the papacy. What was the Pope’s true role, and what will happen next now that he is now gone?

Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, 2025, becoming the first American and the first member of the Order of Saint Augustine to ascend to the papacy. While he is originally from Chicago, Illinois, later in life he served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and had a long missionary tenure in Peru, where he was naturalized in 2015 . In his inaugural address, Pope Leo XIV emphasized themes of peace, social justice, and compassion for migrants, signaling a continuation of Pope Francis’s progressive legacy .