Pope Leo offers thanks for 'great gift' of Francis, one year on from his death
Leo said Francis gave the Church much through his witness and mercy, as pilgrims prayed at his tomb and a memorial Mass was planned.
- 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.
61 Articles
61 Articles
Pope Leo XIV paid tribute on Tuesday to his predecessor, Francis, on the occasion of the first anniversary of his death. ...
Pope Leo in Africa remembers Francis’s legacy of mercy
ON BOARD THE PAPAL PLANE – Flying over a region not far from where Pope Francis in Bangui in 2015 inaugurated the Jubilee of Mercy, Leo XIV lauded his predecessor’s legacy of mercy on the one-year anniversary of his death. Speaking to journalists on April 21 on his ITA Airways flight from Luanda, Angola, to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo noted that the day marked the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s death. Pope Francis, Leo said, “gave s…
Fondness for Francis undimmed one year after pope's death
Pilgrims prayed and shared fond memories at the tomb of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death Tuesday, as his successor, Leo, paid tribute to a man "who gave so much".
Pope Francis to Continue Leo XIV's Legacy on the 1st Anniversary of His Passing. Pope Leo XIV commemorated the first anniversary of the passing of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on the 21st (local time). The local ANSA news agency reported that the Pope posted on social media that day, stating that Pope Francis's words and actions remain engraved in our hearts...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium




























