Pope Francis

Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 1936–2025) was the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 2013 until his death.

Benedict XVI: Benedict XVI was pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. His resignation made Francis the first pope elected after a predecessor’s voluntary abdication in centuries.
Laudato si': Laudato si' is Francis’s 2015 encyclical on care for the Earth and the social roots of environmental harm. It made ecological responsibility a prominent theme of his teaching and public advocacy.
Cuba–United States thaw: The Cuba–United States thaw was the 2014–2015 restoration of diplomatic relations after decades of estrangement. Francis and the Vatican helped facilitate the negotiations that preceded the announcement.
Papal infallibility: Papal infallibility is the Catholic doctrine that the pope is protected from error when definitively teaching on faith or morals under specified conditions. Francis’s ordinary teaching and governance drew attention to the limits of what infallibility means.
Evangelii gaudium: Evangelii gaudium is Francis’s 2013 apostolic exhortation on proclaiming the Gospel in contemporary society. Its call for a church turned outward supplied an early statement of his papal vision.
John Paul II: John Paul II was pope from 1978 to 2005 and a major figure in modern Catholicism. Francis’s election continued the global reach of the papacy established by his Polish predecessor.
Amoris laetitia: Amoris laetitia is Francis’s 2016 apostolic exhortation on love and family life. Its treatment of divorced and remarried Catholics prompted debate over pastoral practice and doctrine.
Abu Dhabi declaration: The Abu Dhabi declaration is a 2019 joint statement by Francis and Ahmed al-Tayeb on human fraternity and religious coexistence. Francis used interfaith diplomacy to make a shared public appeal against violence in religion’s name.
Traditionalist Catholicism: Traditionalist Catholicism emphasizes older liturgical forms and continuity with inherited Catholic doctrine and practice. Francis’s restrictions on the preconciliar Latin Mass sharpened disputes with some traditionalist Catholics.
Fratelli tutti: Fratelli tutti is Francis’s 2020 encyclical on fraternity, friendship, and social relations. It expressed his critique of exclusion and his appeal for solidarity across religious and national boundaries.

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