From being the first pope to select the name Francis to how he’ll be remembered, here are four things to know about Pope Francis.

1. He diversified the College of Cardinals, which selects the new pope. Pope Francis changed the group that will elect the next pope, making it more diverse. He appointed more cardinals from places like Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as from smaller dioceses in Europe and North America that don’t usually get a say in picking the next leader of the Church. “With these changes to the College of Cardinals, Francis may continue to shape the Church even after his death. The next pope could be more likely to follow in his footsteps,” said Daniel Thompson, associate professor of religious studies. The College will meet within 20 days after the end of Francis’ tenure in office to elect a new pope.
2. He was the first “Francis.” “Selecting the name of a 13th-century saint and church reformer was apt,” said Tim Gabrielli, Gudorf Chair in Catholic Intellectual Traditions. “His namesake St. Francis of Assisi heard God tell him to ‘rebuild my Church.’ Pope Francis will be remembered for his consistent call to Christians to live a more gospel-centered, which is to say, Jesus-centered life.” 
3. He faced opposition in certain Catholic circles. “Some conservative prelates, linked with well-funded (and often American) Catholic networks, have publicly challenged Francis's teachings on a variety of grounds; that it compromises supposedly unchanging doctrines of the faith or moral teachings; that it eliminates the clear boundaries between Catholic faith and other religious traditions; that it incorrectly involves the Church in political or economic discussions beyond its competence; that his call for the acceptance of refugees compromises ‘Western civilization’ and European national sovereignty, etc.,” Thompson said. “In the world of social media, these ‘culture wars’ take an outsized place in any discussion of Catholicism. What is more difficult to assess is whether this resistance (or for that matter, Francis's program itself) has had any effect on the beliefs, dispositions, and practices of Catholics worldwide.” 
4. He will be remembered for his care for others. “From the first moment when he was elected and returned to the dorm where he was staying rather than the papal apartments, to washing the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday, to the ways he directly greets all people especially the people who are most overlooked by society, like severely disabled people,” said Jana Bennett, professor and chair of religious studies. 

His legacy also includes his encyclical Laudato Si that has provided Catholics with a challenge to engage in the work of addressing climate change, said Sandra Yocum, University Professor of Faith and Culture. And, he will be remembered for “his missteps in responding to the sexual abuse crisis as well as his recognizing these missteps and entering more directly into the difficult work of seeking forgiveness from those who have suffered and engaging the difficult work of reconciliation,” Yocum said.

Learn more about our Catholic experts available for media interviews on Francis’ death here.