The 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, passed away April 21 and has been officially replaced by the first-ever American Pope, Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Francis, known for his progressive beliefs and love for people, was 88 years old when he suffered from a stroke and irreversible cardiac arrest.

Prior to his death, Francis was the head of the Roman Catholic Church for approximately 12 years, starting in March 2013.

Francis’s election was historical for several reasons, including that he was the first Jesuit pope, first Latin American and the first who was not born or in Europe since the 8th century.

Following the news of his death, over a quarter of a million people visited his body during a public viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica over the course of three days.

He was buried April 26 in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, once again breaking tradition from his predecessors.

Many worried about how his demise would affect the future tone of the church and if a more traditional individual would rise to power in his place.

Pope Leo XIV was elected May 8, just two days after the papal conclave began.

While he is known for sharing various progressive views, such as social justice, with his predecessor, Pope Francis, his positions on other issues, such as women’s ordination or Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) rights is not as evident.

The 69-year-old is the first American Pope to be elected, born in Chicago, Illinois to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez and has two older brothers.

Becoming a priest in 1982, and a cardinal in 2023 by the late Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV expressed his goal as a dedication to help create a church that builds bonds and connections throughout the world.

Though his election was seen as controversial by some, and some believed that it was a political statement, Pope Leo XIV has stated that his election has nothing to do with current world politics.