Pope Francis, the 266th Pope and first from the Americas, who led the Roman Catholic Church through a decade of significant spiritual, social, and global engagement, has passed away. His leadership was marked by themes of humility, inclusivity, environmentalism, and interfaith dialogue.

About the Pope and the Papacy

• Role:
  The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the visible head of the Catholic Church, which regards Jesus Christ as its invisible head.
  He is often referred to as the Supreme Pontiff and serves as the spiritual leader for over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.

• Functions and Authority:

  • Exercises supreme legislative, executive, and judicial authority over the Catholic Church.

  • Acts as the head of state of Vatican City.

  • Issues encyclicals, canonizes saints, and appoints bishops globally.

• Election Process:

  • Elected by the College of Cardinals through a secret ballot process called a Conclave.

  • Any baptized Catholic man is theoretically eligible, but traditionally, a Cardinal is chosen.

  • The successful candidate must secure a two-thirds majority of votes.

• Historical Fact:

  • Pope Francis was the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope from South America (Argentina), and the first non-European Pope in over 1,200 years.

Vatican City: A Unique Sovereign State

• Geographical Facts:

  • Area: Just 44 hectares (about 0.44 km²) — the smallest independent state in the world by both area and population (approximately 800 residents).

  • Location:

    • Entirely landlocked within the city of Rome, Italy.

    • Coordinates: 41°54′N latitude, 12°27′E longitude.

• Political Structure:

  • Governed as an absolute elective monarchy, with the Pope as its sovereign.

  • Operates with its own systems for governance, law enforcement (Swiss Guard), banking (Vatican Bank), and postal services.

• Historical Milestone:

  • Became fully independent from Italy with the signing of the Lateran Treaty on 11th February 1929 between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy.

• Cultural and Religious Significance:

  • Home to several iconic sites, including:

    • St. Peter’s Basilica — the world's largest church and a major pilgrimage center.

    • Sistine Chapel — famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes and the site of Papal Conclaves.

    • Vatican Museums — housing one of the world's most important art collections.

• Economic Facts:

  • Revenue sources include:

    • Donations from Catholics worldwide (known as Peter’s Pence).

    • Sales from museums, souvenirs, and publications.

    • Returns from investments.

  • No income tax is levied on residents.

Additional Insights

• Holy See vs. Vatican City:
  The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and the central governing body, distinct from Vatican City, which is its territorial entity.

• UN Status:
  Vatican City holds a unique position as a non-member permanent observer state at the United Nations.

• Climate:
  Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers — similar to the climate of surrounding Rome.