As Jorge Mario Bergoglio prepared to assume the papacy, he chose a new name: Francis.
That choice was a tribute to St. Francis of Assisi and set the stage for Pope Francis’ entire pontificate, in which he showed ceaseless solidarity with the poor and voiceless, just like his namesake. The pontiff set himself apart from all of his predecessors, as he was the first to go by this new name.
Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88.
As the head of the church, Francis’ leadership was critical in maintaining the faith’s relevance and importance. Among his most remembered quotes is a call for compassion: “A little mercy makes the world less cold and more just.”
Indeed, compassion was one of Francis’ core tenets. So was unity.