The pope was a strong advocate for the poor and the environment and a towering figure on the world stage, addressing not just Catholics but also the men and women of our time. Francis was one of the most popular popes in decades. The outspoken pope lent his voice to almost every modern issue facing the world, from the environment to the world financial system. Dublin-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the acting head of the Vatican until a new pope is elected.

Here’s what the move Conclave got right — and wrong — about the selection of a new pope. Pope Francis wrote about his wishes and plans for his own funeral, asking that it proceed “With dignity, but like any Christian.” Pope Francis wrote about his wishes and plans for his own funeral in his memoir Hope: The Autobiography, which was published in January 2025. He specified which church he wished to be buried in and mentioned the “excessive” funeral service that he sought to pare down.

Pope Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday to deliver his Urbi et Orbi (which translates as “to the city and to the world”) message, in line with tradition. But this year’s speech was unusual. The pope, recovering from bilateral pneumonia, sat on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome as Archbishop Diego Ravelli read his text out loud. here is an excerpt from his speech:

In the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, death and life contended in a stupendous struggle, but the Lord now lives forever (cf. Easter Sequence). He fills us with the certainty that we too are called to share in the life that knows no end, when the clash of arms and the rumble of death will be heard no more. Let us entrust ourselves to him, for he alone can make all things new (cf. Rev. 21:5)!