Pope Francis dies at 88
By Guest Columnist Jacob Venuti
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born December 17, 1936, and was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969. Bergoglio dedicated his life to public service; he was appointed as a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II and, later, went on to be elected as 266th pope on March 13, 2013, after the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Francis became the first Latin American pope. As a Jesuit Pope, he dedicated his life to simplicity and service. His election as pope is considered unique, because Jesuits usually take a vow of obedience to the pope.
Pope Francis was an advocate for social justice and economic inequality; it was often noted that one of his greatest messages was for the Church to be “a poor church for the poor.” He also sought to bring about peace and mercy.
The world last saw Pope Francis at age 88 on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. He had just begun to recover from a long battle of double pneumonia, as well as other declining health issues; he passed away April 21, 2025. The Roman Catholic cardinals decided to bury Pope Francis on Saturday, April 26.
The papal conclave, a formal gathering of the College of Cardinals to elect a new pope, is typically scheduled to begin fifteen to twenty days after the previous pope’s death. This means the conclave could start anywhere from May 6 and no later than May 12. The only cardinals eligible to vote are those who are under the age of eighty. The term “conclave” means “a room that can be locked up,” and the process is just that. The eligible voting cardinals are locked in a room during the voting process for a pope. They are sworn to secrecy and are isolated from the outside world until a new pope is elected.
After each session of voting, if no person has received a two-thirds majority of the votes for pope, the cardinals burn their ballots, ensuring that black smoke appears out of a special chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel; and the process will continue until a person does receive a two-thirds majority. Once a person does, he is then formally asked if he accepts the election. If he does, he is asked to choose his papal name. The cardinals then, once again, burn their ballots, and ensure that white smoke appears from the chimney. The man chosen will be dressed in papal vestments and appear on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where the senior cardinal will announce, “Habemus Papam!” (We have a pope).
The world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, and the United States’ government ordered that all U.S flags be flown at half-staff until sunset of Pope Francis’ burial day. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also directed this order for the state.
