People's Pope signs off, leaving behind a church changed forever

The death of 88-year-old Pope Francis that occurred at the Vatican yesterday moments after he had appeared at the Easter Sunday mass to bless pilgrims, brings to an end the 12-year reign of man who was viewed as the “Peoples Pope.”

His death, coming shortly after the Urbi et Orbi (blessings and messages), a traditional function that the Pope carries out twice in a year mainly on Easter Sunday and during Christmas is now widely being viewed as a goodbye gesture he had come to bid Catholics worldwide.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pontiff has been ailing for a while now. He was hospitalised about a month ago where he stayed for two weeks. Prior to that, his health had deteriorated since last year and even had difficulty walking. He was discharged last week but doctors advised that he stays out of any strenuous work for two months.

When he was admitted at Gemeli Hospital at the Vatican he was treated for double pneumonia and other infections along with experiencing several respiratory crises. He was also diagnosed with thrombocytopenia, a condition where platelet counts are low, and needed supplemental oxygen and blood transfusions. He had partial lung removal as a young man due to pleurisy, which increased his vulnerability to pneumonia. 

He is considered the second most populous Pope after one of his predecessors Pope John Paul 11 whose pontificate lasted for 27 years, the longest ever in recent times for one to hold to that position. John Paul 11 was considered an outsider having been a native of Poland. The same case applied to Pope Francis who came from Argentina.

For a long time, successive Popes have been Italians but with the election of Pope John Paul 11 he broke that jinx. It seems to follow suit as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger from Germany went on to succeed him and took on the name Pope Benedict XV1.

And when Pope Benedict XV1 decided to resign owing to his failing health, many insiders and observers within the church believed that the seat would return to the Italian bishops who happen to be the majority of voters and also wield a lot of influence at the Vatican.

In March 2013 Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio entered the Vatican as the Buenos Aires Archbishop from Argentina and little did he know that he would not be returning to his home country again in the same capacity. That was never to happen as he was elected Pope to succeed Pope Benedict. Even as Pope he never went back to Argentina until he passed on yesterday.

Pope Benedict the first German Pope in 1000 years had made history for resigning from the seat, the second one to do so in 600 years when Gregory XII resigned to end the western schism in 1415.

However, one thing that the Catholic Church has always prided itself on is that it is never driven by public opinion or opinion polls. In fact, there has been a silent belief within the Church that those who show interest for particular positions never get them.  Instead, those who are viewed as unworthy are the ones who are given responsibilities within the church.

At no time was Pope John Paul 11, Pope Benedict XV1 and now Pope Francis ever viewed as front runners for those positions. They all came as a surprise. The same thing is bound to happen to the successor of Pope Francis when the 135 Cardinals who are eligible to elect a Pope begin to converge at the Vatican from tomorrow to prepare for the conclave after the burial.

As of April 21, 2025, there are 252 Cardinals with 135 being eligible electors. Pope Francis has created 149 of those cardinals during his pontificate majority of whom will enter the conclave to elect his successor. His successors John Paul created 41 while Benedict created 62. Nairobi Archbishop Emeritus John Njue will be among those headed to the Vatican to lay Pope Francis to rest and also elect his successor. Njue is 79 years old.

Pope Francis pontificate has been dominated by a mixture of controversies as well as popular and well thought out decisions. He has been a champion for environmental issues among others.

He has equally taken head on the high and mighty on matters to do with social justice, corruption, among others. Berglolio as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires had maintained a simple life, the same one he seemed to carry on to the Vatican.

To begin with, Cardinal Berglolio used public transport, mainly the subway mingling with the poor as he headed to and from his office. He also cooked his food most of the time preferring a simple life

From the day he was elected, he took on the name Francis, following in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi, known for his works and championing for the poor. Unlike his predecessors he maintained his simple silver crucifix that he had won all along and declined to take up a new golden one meant for a new pope. He also shunned the many papal vestments.

Soon after being elected Pope, he gave his security the first hurdle when he boarded a bus with the cardinals who had just elected him and declined to use a papal limousine as he headed with them for lunch. Since elections he has maintained the use of a simple car in and out of the Vatican, shunning any limousines offered in foreign visits.

Later on, he again broke tradition and declined to stay in the lavish Apostolic palace and opted for the simple guest house known as Santa Marta which is within the Vatican. His new residence gave him access to people as opposed to the Apostolic palace which has rigid and tight security.

During his reign, Pope John Paull II ordered the construction of the guest houses after he was elected Pope. He had participated in two conclaves and saw how cardinals who participated in the events were undergoing suffering. Some slept on cots in makeshift spaces throughout the palace, some within hallways and offices, often divided from one another by a sheet hanging on a rope. They shared common bathrooms, often with ten cardinals assigned to each.

He specified the guest house would serve for conclaves and at other times be available to "ecclesiastical personnel serving at the Secretariat of State and, as far as possible, at other Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as well as to cardinals and bishops visiting Vatican City to see the Pope or to participate in events and meetings organized by the Holy See." Laymen have stayed there as well.

Pope Francis made his visit to Kenya in November 2015 at the invitation of the Catholics bishops.  During one of the events at the Kasarani stadium the Holy Father urged young Kenyans not to succumb to the sweet lure of corruption, and urged them to help those tempted by "fanatical" ideologies.

During the event the Pope did away with his prepared script, and addressed a packed stadium with the down-to-earth and spontaneous style that had endeared him to Catholics and others around the world.

"The spirit of evil takes us to a lack of unity. It takes us to tribalism, corruption and drugs. It takes us to destruction out of fanaticism," the pope said, urging young people not to give in to these vices.

And at State House Nairobi while addressing political leaders he warned them against the vice of corruption giving a story of a rich man who had amassed wealth and thought he would be buried with it.

Pope Francis leaves behind a united church that has experienced turbulences that include sexual abuse cases by clergymen mainly in European countries which he has had to personally apologise to victims and families. His legacy will continue to live on.