Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, passed away on Monday. The Pope, who was suffering from respiratory issues and double pneumonia, passed away at his residence Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.
Pope Francis was the first non-European Pope of the Catholic Church. He was elected to lead the Catholic Church in March 2023 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was also the first Jesuit to be elected to the throne of St Peter, which signalled a shift in perspective as Jesuits were historically looked down on with suspicion by Rome.
What Is The Role Of The Pope?
The Pope is considered the successor of Saint Peter, who is the first Bishop of Rome. The role primarily focuses on guiding the Church.
The papacy is an additional source of authority for Catholic Christians, as the Pope represents a direct line back to Jesus Christ.
As per the Church Authority, the Pope is also seen as the "Unifier of the People of God."
As the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope also have authority over the Church's doctrine, governance. Due to his jurisdiction over the Vatican City, the Pope is also a key figure for global diplomacy.
What Does The Pope Do?
As per the Vatican, the role of the pope is a "busy one". One of the key duties of the pope is to meet at least once a year with his over 5,000 bishops from around the world.
Foreign travel is also a key part of the papacy, not only to meet fellow bishops, but to meet visitors, global leaders, people and believers from all around the world.
The Pope's duties are an intricate blend of religious, political and moral. Pope Francis, for instance, was known and praised for his stance on the LGBTQ community, wars in Gaza and Ukraine, climate change and his criticism of capitalism, consumerism, and overdevelopment.
Under Pope Francis, women were also made full members of the departments in the Roman Catholic Church.
