Skip to main content
institutional access

You are connecting from
Lake Geneva Public Library,
please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.

Published loading...Updated

Pope Leo offers thanks for 'great gift' of Francis, one year on from his death

Leo praised Francis’s mercy and fraternity, thanking him for a legacy that shaped the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

  • On Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, on the first anniversary of his death while aboard the papal plane during his four-nation African trip.
  • Francis died last year on Easter Monday at 88 following a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia, setting the stage for the conclave that elected Leo a few weeks later.
  • Leo recalled Francis' "gave so much to the church with his life, with his witness, with his word and with his gestures," citing his preaching on human fraternity and the 2015 Holy Year dedicated to God's mercy.
  • Commemorations in Rome included a Mass at St. Mary Major basilica and the release of books like *Padre* by Salvatore Cernuzio, detailing his private conversations with the late pontiff.
  • Books also explore Francis' relationship with Cardinal Robert Prevost, whom he brought to Rome in 2023; Francis called the American "a saint," fueling hypotheses he laid groundwork for Prevost to succeed him.
Insights by Ground AI

83 Articles

Lean Right

In St. Peter's Square, Polish nuns pray the third, Portuguese discover the date by chance and in shops what they sell is Leo XIV. "Daddy dead, new Pope", summarises a shopkeeper.

·Portugal
Read Full Article
Center

Pope Leo XIV paid tribute on Tuesday to his predecessor, Francis, on the occasion of the first anniversary of his death. ...

·Brussels, Belgium
Read Full Article
Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 54% of the sources are Center
54% Center

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

El Diario Montañes broke the news on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal