Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and a spiritual leader to 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, passed away at the age of 88. He appeared on Easter Sunday from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica as an aide read out a benediction in which the pope condemned the "deplorable humanitarian situation" caused by Israel's onslaught on Gaza.

"I express my closeness to the sufferings… of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people," the pope said. "I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace."Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of humility, reform, and moral courage. 

His words and actions challenged centuries-old traditions, calling the Church to be more merciful, inclusive, and responsive to the world’s most urgent problems. Known for his humility, outspokenness on global inequality, and progressive tone on key social issues, he redefined the modern papacy and became a powerful voice for the poor, migrants, and the environment.

His papacy was defined by a call to embrace mercy and social justice. In a landmark statement in 2013, he asked, “If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?” a comment seen as groundbreaking in its message of inclusion.

Pope Francis has consistently and forcefully condemned the rich-poor divide, advocating for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources. He has criticized the "economy of exclusion" and the "throwaway culture" that he believes exacerbate inequality, urging global leaders to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. He also calls for a simpler, less materialistic lifestyle in developed countries and encourages a shift from hoarding to sharing and giving.  He emphasizes the importance of solidarity with the poor and suffering, calling for a shift from indifference to active concern for the marginalized. 

Known for his humility, outspokenness on global inequality, and progressive tone on key social issues, he redefined the modern papacy and became a powerful voice for the poor, migrants, and the environment. Pope Francis would end every speech with the plea “Pray for me,” he reminded the faithful of his humanity, once saying, “I am a sinner too.”

On issues of migration and global inequality, Francis often sounded the alarm. During a visit to Lampedusa in 2013, he criticized global indifference to migrant suffering: “We have fallen into a globalisation of indifference.” He championed the rights of the Global South, stating: “The land of the southern poor is rich and mostly unpolluted… but access to resources is inhibited by a structurally perverse system.”

"Sree Narayana Guru's message of universal human unity is pertinent today when hate all across is on the rise", Pope Francis has said. He said the social reformer's message is "pertinent to our world today, where we witness growing instances of intolerance and hatred between peoples and nations."

As tributes pour in from around the world, one message remains etched in memory a reminder of his spiritual openness and humility: “There is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach.” -Paul Koshy