- Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, died at age 88 after battling health issues including pneumonia.
- His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday, and his last address focused on global peace and aid for marginalized communities.
- Reactions to his death included reflections on his humility, focus on social issues, and advocacy for those in need.
- Miami's Archbishop Wenski highlighted Pope Francis's many "firsts" and his legacy of hope and mercy.
- Many expressed hope that the next pope would continue Francis's focus on peace, honesty, and reform within the Church.
MIAMI — When Jorge Alfredo Zoulalian received a call from his daughter in Buenos Aires on the morning of April 21, she was in tears over the death of Pope Francis.
"I told her to take it easy," Zoulalian said, "because (the pope) was sick."
But he, too, was trying to contain his sadness while at work.So were other South Americans who live in South Florida, who took pride in the first pope from the Americas.
Zoulalian, an Argentinian from Buenos Aires, moved to Miami about two years ago. His 22-year-old daughter, Camila, still lives in his home country, just 30 minutes away from the neighborhood of Flores, where the pope grew up.
"The country is in mourning," Zoulalian said. "(Monday) is going to be a very memorable date, for the rest of my days, the rest of those of my children, my mother, my brother, my friends, the whole country. Not even just the country, but I also think South America as a whole."
Francis died at age 88, just weeks after an extended hospital stay spent battling bilateral pneumonia, among other health issues.
His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday on April 20, delivering the traditional blessing to tens of thousands of people from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City.Still recovering from pneumonia, he had a Vatican aide deliver his final papal address — traditionally given at Easter and Christmas.
That speech focused on global conflicts, reiterating the pope's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. It also included a message of hope, particularly for marginalized and migrant communities, for whom Francis was a strong advocate.
Roxana Londoño of Miami initially heard the news of Francis' death in a WhatsApp group she's part of. But then she saw the notifications pour in from media outlets.
"I think he brought a distinct perspective to the Vatican," Londoño said. "He was much more focused on humility, the social environment and on compassion for people in need. It makes me think, what comes next?"
She said she didn't know if it would be another Latino pope.
"As Latinos, we identified with him," Londoño said. "We’ll have to see what comes now. I hope it’s someone who brings the same perspective."
Londoño, 51, is from Barranquilla, Colombia. When she was 8, she was one of the few students selected to meet Pope John Paul II, when he visited the city as part of a larger apostolic journey to the country.
"Pope Francis saw the Church as a 'field hospital' called to tend to the wounded on the battlefields of life, offering her medicine of mercy to all," wroteArchbishop Thomas Wenskiof Miami, the leader of the church in Florida, in a prepared statement.
"The Church, Pope Francis insisted, is not only to teach but to act — to embrace those on the periphery and to bring the light of Christ to the darkest corners of society," the statement read.
Wenski wrote that the pontiff's legacy would be defined by a series of "firsts." He was the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, the first pope to address a joint session of Congress and the first pope to appoint women to high positions in the Roman Curia, the church's central governing body.
"Pope Francis leaves this world as a 'pilgrim of hope,' " Wenski wrote.
Zoulalian, 60, had hoped to one day meet Francis in Argentina. But the pope never returned to his home country after his papacy began in 2013.
"A large part of me is very supportive of him," Zoulalian said. "Because he seemed like a very sincere person to me, a very honest person when it came to Catholicism."
He hopes to see the same values in the next pope.
"No to violence, no to war," he said. "Yes to honesty, to speaking well and handling things with caution."
Londoño, similarly, hopes to see someone as brave as Francis was, she said.
"Someone who not only speaks about change, but who pushes for real reform within the church," Londoño said. "Someone who is also close with the people and who listens to newer generations, especially on topics like human rights, the role of women within the church and the abuse there has been."
Zoulalian lives in North Miami Beach, also known as "Little Buenos Aires" for its large Argentine presence. He believes the pope left a lasting impression for Argentinians around the globe.
"Not only did he leave us well-represented, but he left all of South America well-represented," he said.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach heratjfernandez@pbpost.comand follow heron X (formerly Twitter) at@jasminefernandz. Help support our work.Subscribe today.
