Pope Leo XIV Honors Francis on Death Anniversary

Pope Leo XIV honored his predecessor, Pope Francis, on Tuesday during a flight from Angola to Equatorial Guinea, marking the first anniversary of Francis's death and reflecting on his legacy of mercy and solidarity with the marginalized.

Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane as part of his four-nation tour of Africa, the American-born pontiff, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, delivered the tribute in Italian. "We thank the Lord for the great gift of the life of Francis, to the church and the world," Leo said. He described Francis as someone who "gave so much to the church with his life, with his witness, with his word and with his gestures," emphasizing his closeness to "the poorest, the smallest, the sick, children, the elderly."

Francis, the first pope from the Americas, died on Easter Monday last year at age 88 following a stroke. He had been recovering at the Vatican from a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia and had appeared publicly days earlier, greeting crowds in St. Peter's Square from the popemobile during Easter celebrations. His passing prompted a conclave that elected Leo weeks later, an outcome observers attribute in part to Francis's...