Pope Francis passed away yesterday, April 21, at the age of 88. The head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State was a beloved pope known for his simple living. The Vatican shared his last will and statement not long after his death, and Pope Francis made a special arrangement, which very few popes before him have.

The world is mourning the Argentina-born pope, who passed away on Monday after a string of publicized health issues. The leader of the Catholic Church was, in many ways, a modern pope, one who often shared his vision for social and economic justice, as well as an urgent call for action from world leaders on the climate crisis. With that said, Francis’ approach to his role divided the ancient institution, with some arguing that he should not engage in politics.

Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His parents were Italian immigrants; his father, Mario, worked as an accountant for the railways, and his mother, Regina, was a stay-at-home mom. He had four siblings, and although he later chose the religious path in life, he initially graduated as a chemical technician in his home country.

Francis entered the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto and the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in 1958. He studied humanities in Chile before returning to his home country in 1963 and earning a degree in philosophy from the Colegio de San José in San Miguel.

After teaching literature and psychology in Santa Fé and Buenos Aires for two years, he studied theology and obtained a degree in the subject in 1970. However, a year before, he had already been ordained a priest.

Pope Francis dead at 88

Pope Francis’ career path within the church was nothing short of breathtaking. He was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina in 1973, a title he held for six years. He continued to hold several important titles within the church, but between 1980 and 1986, he served as rector at the Colegio of San José and as a professor of theology.

In 1998, after being named titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires six years earlier, Francis became the archbishop of Buenos Aires. Three years later, his path to the Vatican was cleared when he was elevated to cardinal by Pope John Paul II, who named him Cardinal-Priest of Saint Robert Bellarmine.

When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, Francis was on the verge of becoming Pope. According to reports, he received the second-most votes in the papal conclave. The successor, however, was to be Pope Benedict XVI.

When Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named the next pope. He took the name Pope Francis and made history as the Catholic Church’s first Latin-American pontiff — and what he did during his 12-year papacy would echo worldwide.

Many, including some cardinals, have much to say about how Pope Francis tackled on his papacy. As the Catholic Church is an ancient institution, many believe things should remain the same as they have always been. However, Francis had other ideas, wanting to modernize the church.

Pope Francis’ progressive papacy

He became known for his progressive causes, such as advocating for immigrants and people experiencing poverty. He was also the first pope to label laws that criminalize homosexuality “unjust.”

Moreover, Francis was an environmental activist. In 2015, he released a papal letter titled “Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You),” which concluded with a section in which the Pope called for action against climate change.

“The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home. Here I want to recognize, encourage and thank all those striving in countless ways to guarantee the protection of the home which we share. Particular appreciation is owed to those who tirelessly seek to resolve the tragic effects of environmental degradation on the lives of the world’s poorest. Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded,” Pope Francis wrote.

He continued: “I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”

While Pope Francis was praised for many reasons, there were also scandals. For example, the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal, in which Pope Francis discredited the survivors of abuse in Chile. Later, however, he apologized, calling it a “grave error.” He also defrocked Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, who the Vatican found guilty of assaulting children and adults.