The End of a Papacy Like No Other: Reflecting on the Legacy of Pope Francis

By Rosie Robertson

Despite his recent illness, the death of Pope Francis still shocked the world on Easter Monday after his brief and frail appearance the day before. It ended a 12-year eventful Papacy. His death has provoked many to look back on his legacy, defined by humility, reform, and a distinct focus on politics and social justice. 

He was the first amongst many things – the first Jesuit Pope, the first from Argentina and the Americas altogether, and the first Pope to take the name Francis. In taking on this name from St Francis of Assisi, he was symbolically signalling to the world from the outset his humility and care for the poor. 

By choosing to live in the Vatican guest house rather than an Apostolic palace, and swapping the Papal limousine for a small car, Francis demonstrated his humble approach and awareness of the wealth of the Roman Catholic church – a marked contrast to previous pontiffs.  

He made early decisions that set precedents for his papacy, such as washing the feet of prisoners, women, and Muslims on Holy Thursday, breaking a long-standing tradition. He wanted to be a Pastor before being the Pope, preferring to be named as the ‘Bishop of Rome’, a title emphasizing pastoral service rather than hierarchical supremacy. He also encouraged people to call him Father Jorge, reflecting his desire to remain approachable and human. 

Depending on who you ask, Pope Francis was either the bold reformer the Church desperately needed or an ambiguous leader who left too many teachings open to interpretation. But one thing is clear: his tenure was anything but passive. His encyclical Laudato Si’ called for urgent action on climate change and challenged world leaders to rethink economic systems built on exploitation. In Amoris Laetitia, he opened a carefully worded path for divorced and remarried Catholics to return to the sacraments, signaling a shift toward compassion over strict rule-following. 

Francis remained faithful to core Catholic teachings, but he also recognized the need for the Church to respond to a rapidly changing world. He trod a fine line: balancing the burden of tradition with the urgency of relevance. Such as softening the Church’s language on LGBTQ+ issues, famously saying ‘Who am I to judge?’ when asked about gay priests. No, he did not change doctrine, but he changed tone, which many saw to be just as powerful. 

He condemned clerical abuse and met survivors, such as in Ireland where he had a private meeting with those who were victims of sexual abuse in the Church. He also met survivors in Chile that led to the resignation of the country’s 34 bishops in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal and cover up. 

Beyond this, Francis had an unwavering commitment to peace, even at the end of his life. He phoned the only Catholic church in Gaza almost everyday following the start of the war. In his final public address on Easter Sunday, he called for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict, asking for the protection of civilians, and access to humanitarian aid, condemning the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in Gaza. 

Whilst many queue to pay their respects and mourn the life of Pope Francis, many will begin to question who comes next? Francis’ death creates a vacuum not just of leadership but of the unique presence he embodied. His legacy lives on in the questions he dared to ask and the doors he quietly cracked open. But, will the next Pope follow his path of reform and outspoken empathy or will there be a pull back toward rigidity and tradition?

Image: Flickr