PROFILE - Pope Francis: The reformist who divided opinion

LONDON / ISTANBUL

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis in March 2013, his election was considered unexpected.

At 76, he was older than many anticipated, and as a Jesuit from Argentina, he was a relative outsider to the Vatican establishment.

But his selection was historic -- he became the first pope from Latin America and the first member of the Jesuit order to lead the Catholic Church.

Over a decade into his papacy, Francis remained a figure of both admiration and controversy.

He died at age 88 after suffering a prolonged illness, the Vatican announced on Monday.

He suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis" associated with thrombocytopenia, according to a previous Vatican statement.

Francis sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, tackle corruption, and address some of the church’s most pressing challenges.

While he had been hailed for his humility and commitment to social justice, his leadership also drew sharp resistance from conservatives within the church and beyond.

⁠A life shaped by faith, struggle

Born in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was drawn to religious life from an early age.

He studied in Argentina and later in Germany before being ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969.

Unlike many Vatican figures, he had little international exposure early in his career, spending most of his time in Argentina, where he gained a reputation as a humble, austere leader deeply committed to social justice.

His early years were marked by personal hardship.

As a young man, he suffered a severe lung infection and lost a part of his right lung. Despite this, he remained physically active and later became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.

As a cardinal, Bergoglio was known for his simple lifestyle, often taking public transport instead of using a chauffeur.

His sermons frequently addressed inequality and the struggles of the poor, subtly criticizing governments that failed to protect the most vulnerable. He was seen as a voice for social inclusion, which later became a defining theme of his papacy.

⁠1st pope born outside Europe in more than a millennium

Francis, the Catholic Church’s 266th pope, was the first non-European pope since Gregory Ill, who was born in modern-day Syria and elected in 731.

He chose the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century monk known for his charity and kindness to animals.

He studied philosophy and earned a master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires. He taught literature, psychology, philosophy, and theology before becoming the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital.

In his youth, he enjoyed dancing tango with his girlfriend before discovering his religious vocation.

As a student, he worked as a bouncer in a Buenos Aires bar and had a stint as a janitor.

He was also known for washing the feet of AIDS patients during his time as archbishop -- echoing Jesus, in the Bible, washing the feet of his disciples.

⁠A papacy of reform

From the beginning, Pope Francis set a different tone. He chose not to live in the Apostolic Palace, opting instead for a modest guesthouse in the Vatican.

He rejected many of the formalities of the papacy, signaling a shift toward a more accessible, down-to-earth leadership style.

His early popularity was bolstered by his focus on key reforms. He took swift action to tackle financial corruption within the Vatican, particularly in the scandal-ridden Vatican Bank.

He also restructured the Curia -- the church’s administrative body -- reducing its bureaucracy and making it more transparent.

⁠Child sex abuse scandals

One of his most significant challenges had been addressing the church’s child sex abuse scandals.

He removed bishops accused of covering up abuse and created a Vatican commission to address the issue. However, critics argue that his actions had not gone far enough, pointing to the slow pace of justice for victims.

Francis also consistently spoke out on global issues beyond the church.

He criticized free-market capitalism, calling it a system that often “kills” the poor.

He urged governments to take stronger action on climate change and was an advocate for migrants, going so far as to compare European migrant detention centers to concentration camps. These statements sparked a backlash from conservative politicians and business leaders.

Despite being seen as a progressive, Pope Francis remained firm on key Catholic teachings. He upheld traditional positions on abortion, same-sex marriage, and the role of women in the church, showing that he was not a liberal in the way some expected.

His willingness to replace high-ranking conservative cardinals with more progressive voices fueled further resistance. Some Vatican insiders accused him of marginalizing traditionalists in favor of his own reformist agenda.

Long before his papacy, Bergoglio’s role during Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-1983) was a subject of debate.

As head of the country’s Jesuits during this period, he was accused by some of failing to protect two kidnapped priests. Another allegation suggested he did not follow up on a request to help find the missing baby of a woman who was kidnapped and later killed.

The Vatican strongly denied any wrongdoing on his part.

Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who was jailed and tortured during the dictatorship, defended Pope Francis, saying there was no evidence he collaborated with the regime.

Since becoming pope, Francis had taken steps to acknowledge the church’s role in Argentina’s past. He initiated the beatification process for priests murdered by the regime and ordered the Vatican to open its archives to victims and their families.

For sure, Pope Francis remains one of the most influential figures in global Catholicism.

His push for reform had won him both admiration and fierce opposition. His social and economic views continue to divide opinion, and his leadership style has reshaped the Vatican in ways that will have lasting effects.