Pope Francis has led the Catholic Church since 2013. He chose the name “Francis” after St. Francis of Assisi. He wanted to make changes in the Vatican and spoke about protecting the environment and working with other religions.<br /><br />In March 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina became the 266th Pope. He was the first Pope from South America. He tried to change the way the Vatican works and wanted the Church to care more about poor people. That’s why he chose the name Francis—to follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived a simple life.<br /><br />To remember Pope Francis, Deutsche Welle is showing again a special program called "Pope Francis — A Shepherd in the Storm." This program first came out in December 2021 for his 85th birthday. It looks at what he has done as Pope—what he changed, where he struggled, and how he led the Church during hard times with many problems. People who know Pope Francis, such as priests and regular church members, shared their thoughts about him and what they believe he stood for.
