Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, died at 88 early on Monday after a long battle with chronic lung disease and complications from pneumonia.

The Details: Born in Argentina in 1936, Pope Francis made history as the first leader of the Vatican from the Americas and the first representing the Jesuit order. Francis broke several traditions during his papacy, such as offering blessings to same-sex couples and initially opting to live in the Vatican City guest house instead of the traditional Apostolic Palace to be closer to clergy members.

For Context: Vice President JD Vance met with Francis on Easter Sunday after the Pope publicly criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Monday is Easter Monday, which is observed as a holiday in many Western countries.

Political Context: Francis was known for his progressive views and received both praise and criticism for this. He expressed support for both gay and transgender individuals and expressed skepticism toward capitalism. He also faced the Catholic Church’s history of sexual abuse and pledged to end it.

How The Media Covered It: Media across the spectrum highlighted the politics of Pope Francis. Outlets from the left and center often framed Francis extra positively as humble and a trailblazer. Associated Press (Left bias) wrote in its opening line that Francis “charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.” The Daily Caller (Right) included that “a number of the messages from his pontificate appeared to some Western critics as promoting progressive values of tolerance and inclusion towards international matters.”

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