From the moment Jorge Mario Bergoglio stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in March 2013, a quiet revolution began.
He signaled a shift by declining the traditional red cape of papal regalia and instead simply greeting the crowd with "Buonasera"—a papacy centered not on grandeur but on service.
More than a decade later, Francis has become synonymous with humility, justice, and an unyielding commitment to the marginalized.
From refugee camps to shantytowns, from the corridors of power to the streets where the homeless sleep, he has relentlessly pursued a vision of a "Church that is poor and for the poor."
Walking among the marginalized
For Francis, caring for the poor isn’t just an ideal—it’s a daily mission. Unlike some world leaders who speak about poverty from afar, he steps into the places of suffering.
In 2013, just months into his papacy, he visited Lampedusa, the Italian island where thousands of migrants arrive, many after treacherous journeys across the Mediterranean.
With a broken heart, he mourned the lives lost at sea and condemned the "globalization of indifference," urging the world not to turn a blind eye to human suffering.
Three years later, in Lesbos, Greece, he shocked the world by not only visiting Syrian refugees fleeing war but also bringing twelve of them back to the Vatican, offering them shelter and a chance for a new beginning.
This was not a symbolic gesture—it was an act of radical hospitality.
His travels have taken him to the favelas of Brazil, the slums of Manila, and the shantytowns of Buenos Aires, always carrying the same message:
"The poor are not a burden; they are the heart of the Gospel."
A simplicity that speaks volumes
In an era where public figures often wield power with privilege, Pope Francis has done the opposite. Unlike his predecessors, he chose to live in Casa Santa Marta, a modest Vatican guesthouse, instead of the ornate Apostolic Palace.
He dines in common rooms, walks the halls freely, and engages with Vatican staff in ordinary conversation—not as a distant figure, but as a shepherd among his flock.
Even his transportation reflects his values. While previous popes traveled in luxury, Francis famously rode in a Ford Focus or a used Renault 4, a small but powerful statement that speaks to his belief in simplicity and detachment from material wealth.
Challenging the world’s economic conscience
Francis' love for the poor goes beyond charity—it is rooted in justice.
He has been a vocal critic of unchecked capitalism, calling out economic systems that prioritize profit over people.
In his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, he made a groundbreaking connection between poverty and environmental destruction, arguing that the same systems that exploit the earth also oppress the poor.
Under his leadership, the Vatican has launched concrete initiatives for the homeless, including free showers, haircuts, and medical clinics near St. Peter’s Basilica.
In 2017, he established the World Day of the Poor, urging Catholics worldwide to turn their faith into action through service and solidarity.
A Legacy That Will Endure
Pope Francis' devotion to the poor is not about optics—it is who he is. His leadership embodies the words of Matthew 25:40:
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
In a world marked by growing inequality, migration crises, and environmental collapse, his voice remains a prophetic call to conscience.
While others debate policies from boardrooms, he kneels before the suffering, washes their feet, and calls them his brothers and sisters.
As history looks back on his papacy, Francis will not just be remembered for what he said—but for how he lived.
He will forever be known as “The Pope of the Poor.”
