Pope Francis Dies at 88, His Legacy and What’s Next

Last updated on May 31, 2025

By Jack Levy, Staff Writer

Last Monday, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. He had reigned as the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic faith for twelve years and was appointed after his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in 2013. Pope Francis made history as the first Argentinian Pope and the first Jesuit appointed to the Papacy. 

Pope Francis was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was ordained in 1969 and assigned the title of cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

Known for his kindness, humility, and life dedicated to charity, Pope Francis became known as the “People’s Pope.”

Pope Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, where he waved to crowds in the famed Popemobile before giving a blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

On Saturday, over a quarter of a million people visited the Vatican to pay their respects to the late Pontiff. 

Leaders from all over the world took to X and other platforms to express their condolences and share their memories about Pope Francis. Hundreds of leaders and delegates from numerous countries also attended Pope Francis’ funeral service. 

The late Pope was buried outside the Vatican in a tomb close to the Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore. This differs from most Popes, who are usually buried in the Vatican under St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis was known for his unifying stance among the Christian denominations. Recently, Pope Francis advocated for a universal date for Easter. Due in part to his effort, Easter was celebrated by Catholic and Orthodox Christians on the same date this year. 

Senior business administration major Dylan Lynagh reflected on Pope Francis’ tenure. “As a Catholic, it was very sad to hear he passed. Seeing how many people went to the Vatican for his funeral shows how many lives he touched. He was a unifying force in the church and a very inviting figure. He had all the qualities a Pope should have, and he will be remembered fondly by Catholics and non-Catholics.” 

Since Pope Francis’ passing, the seat of the Papacy is vacant. On May 7., a group of 135 eligible cardinals will hold a conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor. All cardinals under 80 years old are eligible to vote in the conclave, and with 135 eligible cardinals, this conclave will have the largest number of electors in the Church’s history. 

Unlike elections for leaders of democratic nations, nobody “runs for Pope.” Any baptised Catholic male is eligible to be Pope, though in practice, Popes are almost always cardinals before being elected Pope, with few exceptions in history. However, any cardinal can be considered.

Conclaves are held in the Sistine Chapel and are highly secretive. The secrecy exists to prevent outside sources of pressure from influencing the cardinals’ decision. The conclave is finished once a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote.

Conclaves are usually finished in a matter of days, with the conclave that elected Pope Francis lasting 28 hours. However, there is no time limit for a conclave. Some have lasted weeks, and in the 11th century, a conclave lasted three years.

Catholics will know the conclave is over and a new Pope has been elected when white smoke emerges from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signifying the cardinals have made their decision.

In the upcoming conclave, several cardinals are considered frontrunners; however, due to the secrecy of a conclave, it’s extremely difficult to accurately predict the next Pope.

For 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, the Pope is the most important member of the clergy. Many Catholics are mourning the passing of Pope Francis and awaiting the coming conclave that will name his successor.