The Pope Open to the People: Remembering Pope Francis
Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church and the first from outside Europe, passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 89 in the Vatican. Kursiv Uzbekistan reflects on the life and legacy of a pope who became a symbol of humility, reform and global outreach.
At 9:45 a.m., Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell officially announced the death of the Holy Father:
«With deep sorrow, I inform you of the passing of our Holy Father, Francis. Today, at 7:35 a.m., he returned to the House of the Father. His life was devoted to the service of God and the Church.»
Just a day before his passing, on April 20, Pope Francis delivered his traditional Urbi et Orbi Easter message in a live broadcast to the world.
Final Days and Health Struggles
The pope had been hospitalized on February 14 with bronchitis, which progressed to double pneumonia. After 38 days in the hospital, he returned to his residence to recover. In his youth, part of his lung had been removed. In the final months of his life, he battled multiple chronic illnesses.
Who Was Pope Francis?
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At 19, he entered the seminary and later earned a philosophy degree from Saint Joseph College in 1963.
In 2013, following the resignation of Benedict XVI, the 76-year-old Bergoglio became the first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit to hold the position. He took the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
A Reformer and Peace Advocate
Pope Francis will be remembered as a reformer who worked to modernize the Catholic Church. In 2015, he simplified the annulment process for marriages, making it more accessible to the faithful.
He was a consistent voice against the death penalty and was the first pope to attend a G7 summit, which took place in Italy in 2024.
After the outbreak of full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, Francis visited the Russian embassy in Rome, spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and offered the Vatican’s help in peace negotiations.
His Final Appeal for Peace
In his final Easter message, Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a just and lasting peace in Ukraine:
«May Easter inspire all sides to seek a just and lasting peace,» he said.
Addressing the South Caucasus, he added:
«Let us pray for the signing and implementation of a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which will bring much-needed reconciliation to the region.»
Francis and Central Asia
In December 2020, during a meeting with Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the Holy See, Jahongir Ganiev, Pope Francis highlighted the warm relations between the Vatican and Tashkent, stressing the importance of interfaith dialogue. He also praised Samarkand as a historic center of philosophy and religion significant to both East and West.
In September 2022, the pope visited Astana, Kazakhstan, for the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. He quoted Abai and addressed the audience in Kazakh, earning widespread respect.
«Pope Francis especially emphasized the closeness of the Church to each believer. He often said that priests should not wait for people to come to church — they should go out to the people themselves,» said Jerzy Maculewicz, Apostolic Administrator of the Catholic Church in Uzbekistan, in a comment to Kursiv.uz.
Catholic Presence in Central Asia
As of September 2024, there are more than 100,000 Catholics living in Central Asia.
- Kazakhstan has the largest Catholic population: approx. 91,100
- Uzbekistan follows with 2,700
- Kyrgyzstan: approx. 5,000
- Tajikistan: approx. 1,000
- Turkmenistan has the smallest community: around 500 Catholics
Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of compassion, dialogue, and courage. His humility and efforts to bring the Church closer to the people will be remembered for generations to come.
