More than 250,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, April 26, to celebrate the life of Pope Francis.

Behind the scenes, Pope Francis instituted substantial reforms during his papacy.

He became the first pope to take the name Francis, the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the 265th successor of St. Peter.

In September of 2015, Pope Francis visited the United States for a five-day visit.

“God sees how good you are. He alone knows what he has sown in your hearts.”

In 2021, Pope Francis established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to be celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July.

Pope Francis raised awareness of the plight of those who might otherwise not have a voice.

Established by St. John Paul II in 1985, World Youth Days gather hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world.

An encyclical letter is a high-level teaching document that expresses the pope’s thoughts on matters of faith and morals.

"Let us love, not with words but with deeds." - World Day of the Poor, 2017

Pope Francis canonized 942 saints during his papacy.

Pope Francis will be remembered as a pope who enjoyed his interactions with crowds and visitors to the Vatican.

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936, the son of Italian immigrants.