West Hollywood Councilman John Erickson met with Pope Francis when Erickson was mayor in 2023. (photo courtesy of John Erickson)

Pope Francis, the head of the church for more than one billion Catholics around the world since 2013, died in his Vatican City residence on April 21 at 88 years old.

Before becoming the first Latin American pope, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. Raised in a middle-class family, he worked as a janitor and a nightclub bouncer before joining the Jesuit Order.

Bergoglio was ordained as a priest in 1969, and became leader of the Jesuits in Argentina at just 36 years old. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 before he was appointed a cardinal three years later by Pope John Paul II.

His election to the papacy in 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI was seen as a surprise – he was the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years, and the first-ever Jesuit pope. Francis dedicated his papacy to being an advocate for the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalized – often standing up for migrants and those living in what he called the “peripheries.” In California – home to the largest Catholic diocese in the United States, Los Angeles – he is remembered as someone who led with humility and reflected the values of many.

“In this time of mourning, my prayer is that all of us in the church will honor Pope Francis’ legacy by remembering that he called us to urgent tasks that are still not finished,” said José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles. “We must continue our work of serving the poor, the migrant and all who are forgotten on society’s ‘peripheries.’ We must persevere in caring for our common home, which is the Earth, and in building a world that respects the sanctity and dignity of all human life and the Creator’s desire that we live in peace and fraternity as one human family.”

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles will host a special mass in memory of Pope Francis at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, 555 W. Temple St.

“Like the saint honored by His Holiness’ papal name, Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis led with his love of peace and creation and sought to protect and lift up the vulnerable,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “He championed human dignity, especially that of the poor, called the world to urgent climate action, condemned the death penalty and confronted painful truths – including the church’s role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples. His papacy was characterized by moral courage, a profound respect for all creation and a deep conviction in the transformative power of love to heal and unite. As we mourn His Holiness, we honor him by choosing to believe that a better world is possible through grace and kindness, and through fellowship with our neighbors, no matter our differences.”

The pope made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, just hours before his death. According to the Vatican, Francis suffered a stroke followed by a coma and heart failure, causing his death. He was recently hospitalized for pneumonia in both lungs. Although his health began to decline in his final years, he remained steadfast in his mission to support those suffering around the world. In January, he prayed for Los Angeles amid the deadly wildfires.

“My heart is with the people of Los Angeles who are suffering so much as a result of the fires that have devastated entire neighborhoods and communities,” he said. “May Our Lady of Guadalupe intercede for everyone to be a witness of hope.”

Several local leaders in Southern California expressed sorrow following his death.

“My heart is both shattered, and held together by faith, with [the] news of the passing of Pope Francis,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, 3rd District, said. “He has been such a bright light in our world, calling us to protect God’s creation, to live in service to one another and to regard each another as ‘Fratelli Tutti.’”

“I join millions across Los Angeles County and around the globe in mourning the passing of Pope Francis,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, 1st District, said. “As the first pope from Latin America, he brought a fresh and deeply human perspective to the Catholic Church and to the world. He challenged us to confront poverty, care for our planet and uplift the dignity of women in the Church and beyond. His words and actions resonated far beyond the walls of any one faith.”

“We mourn the loss of a benevolent and wise spiritual leader,” Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona Nazarian said. “Pope Francis’ intelligence, deep faith and humanity have been an inspiration to people from many religious traditions around the world.”

West Hollywood Councilman John Erickson said Francis’ death marked a significant loss, as the issues he focused on often intersected with those supported by West Hollywood.

“When you look at the West Hollywood community – supporting working-class people, the poor, fighting for the environment, pushing for peace at all levels – they are critical steps to who we are as a community when you think about our activist-based roots,” Erickson said. “That void will be felt.”

Pope Francis is also credited with moving the church forward in terms of acceptance toward LGBTQ+ individuals. Francis made several incremental changes including approving the blessing of same-sex couples, and said “who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests.

Erickson met with the pope on two occasions through the city of West Hollywood’s partnership with Scholas – a nonprofit educational organization founded by Francis in 2013. Erickson discussed LGBTQ+ issues with Pope Francis and gifted him a rainbow city flag.

“To have the city of West Hollywood – a predominantly LGBTQ city – be represented at the Vatican by the openly gay mayor at that time I think just speaks volumes to the push and the work that was being done by the pope, but has to be continued after his passing,” Erickson said.

Reverend John-Paul Gonzalez, pastor at Saint Victor Catholic Church in West Hollywood, said the pope’s legacy will live on through his teachings.

“He always reminded us to encounter Christ and demonstrate the love of Christ among the poor, among those who suffered in any way,” Gonzalez said.

Saint Victor Catholic Church will offer a rosary for Pope Francis daily at 8 a.m., followed by a prayer for the pope at 8:30 a.m.