According to Noor News - International Group: This interpretation of Catholicism considered the essence of faith to be "the struggle against enforced poverty and assistance to the poor, the outcasts, and the marginalized." The fight against inequality continued as a religious duty throughout Pope Francis's tenure at the Vatican.
With the death of Pope Francis on the morning of April 21, 2025, Catholicism lost one of its most progressive and transformative leaders. The late pope, who was the 266th pope in the Vatican hierarchy, was described with terms like "the most liberal," "the most popular," and "the most hippie" pope in history due to his range of innovations and peculiar thoughts and behaviors. Having led the Roman Catholic Church for 15 years, he left behind a legacy of popularity and influence, striving to enhance the role of religion in social and international relations. Understanding his achievements becomes clearer when we recognize the context of his development and growth.
Dedication to Liberation Theology
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who chose the name Francis upon becoming pope, was born in a region of the world that would soon raise a new banner in Christian theology: liberation theology. Although Mario Bergoglio was Argentine, Gustavo Gutierrez, who was about ten years older and is known as the father of liberation theology, was born in Peru. During the time these two Christian priests were in their 40s and 50s, the idea of liberation theology was founded and became widespread. This narrative of Catholicism regarded the essence of faith as "the struggle against enforced poverty and assistance to the poor, the outcasts, and the marginalized." Bergoglio was nurtured in the light of this interpretation of Christian theology and became one of its active proponents.
It was no coincidence that when he was elected as the leader of the Catholic Church in March 2013 following the resignation of Benedict XVI, his first trip was to the island of Lampedusa, a place where rejected migrants and war victims were sheltered. Furthermore, one of his first actions after becoming pope was to invite Gustavo Gutierrez, his long-time friend and the father of liberation theology, to the Vatican. The fight against inequality continued as a religious duty throughout his years at the Vatican. While he personally committed to avoiding luxuries and an extravagant lifestyle, he also consistently encouraged simplicity and consideration for the poor in his teachings and leadership.
The choice of the name "Francis" as a papal title was fundamentally linked to a commitment to the traditions and practices of St. Francis, the leader of the Franciscans in the 12th century. St. Francis was a promoter of personal poverty and humility, while also assisting the poor and the marginalized. Following this saintly example, Pope Francis considered the most important duty of the Church to be caring for the marginalized and social and economic outcasts. His criticisms of the capitalist economic system were largely from this perspective.
Empathy with Religions and Faiths
It is well-known that Pope John Paul II primarily focused on countering atheistic thought and the leftist camp in the world. A significant portion of his management of the Catholic Church was devoted to designing mechanisms to neutralize the influence of communist ideologies. In the subsequent papacy of Benedict XVI, the Vatican's policies shifted from communism to Islam. That pope regarded Islam as the main rival, rather than communism, which, in this regard, intensified the Vatican's opposition to the Islamic world during his tenure. He was quoted as saying, "We used to be engaged with those who did not believe in God, but now we are confronted with those who believe in God too much!" This remark referred specifically to extremist Muslim groups that resorted to violence.
With Benedict's resignation in 2013 and Francis's election as pope, the principal rival of the Church became free-market capitalist systems. Thus, Pope Francis sought to diminish previous religious confrontations in order to strengthen the community of believers worldwide. This effort aimed both to resolve internal conflicts within Christianity and its denominations and to enhance interfaith relations with other world religions. In 2016, Pope Francis met with Patriarch Kirill I, marking the first meeting between the leaders of the Vatican Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church in over a thousand years. Additionally, he personally visited many prominent figures in the Islamic world, such as Ahmed al-Tayyeb, the head of Al-Azhar University, and Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the leading Shia cleric in Najaf.
His efforts to resolve religious misunderstandings were not limited to these instances. In an unprecedented move, he washed the feet of a Muslim man during one of the Vatican's religious ceremonies as a sign of deep humility and interfaith solidarity. Such actions painted the image of a religious leader committed to dialogue and interfaith relations.
Unprecedented Decisions
Pope Francis has also been referred to as the "hippest pope in history," as he never hid his enduring interests in subjects like popular music and soccer. He deviated from the usual papal customs; he didn't wear the traditional elaborate, expensive papal garments. He did not live in the papal palace, instead residing in a small apartment within the St. Peter's Square complex. Many times, he traveled by bus or commercial airplane.
Additionally, he had no opposition to controversial scientific theories like Darwin's theory or the Big Bang, seeing them as not in conflict with Christian theology. He was not strict regarding sexual minorities; rather, he sought to defend their rights. In interactions with ordinary people and children, he allowed them to joke with him. All of these aspects contributed to creating the image of a different pope in people's minds. His defense of the oppressed people of Gaza, as well as victims of the war in Ukraine and other parts of the world, further illuminated this distinctive image.
Pope Francis perhaps could have increased the Catholic Church's influence in major global conflicts. His popularity and influence among Catholics and indeed all peace-loving individuals worldwide created a context where he could assertively engage in global crises. While this may not be an unreasonable expectation, if we compare his achievements to other religious leaders worldwide, he may not fall short of any of them.
Now, analysts of religious issues and international politics are waiting to see which cardinal chosen from around the world will lead the future of the Vatican. Will the reformist and transformative path of Francis continue, or will the conservative and traditionalist stance prevail? The selection of cardinals in the Sistine Chapel has always been unpredictable. Now, in a world undergoing rapid changes and tumultuous transformations, will we once again be astonished by the choice of the cardinals?
NOURNEWS