Easter cannot exist without the appearance of the Resurrected Jesus. In all of the appearances, there is a references to Peter. Peter was the first to enter the tomb and to be the first true and full witness of the resurrection. It is thus the role and ministry of Peter to be a witness to the resurrection and to continue leading the church of believers. The pope is meant to be the visible vicar of Jesus in the world. Since Peter, there has been an unbroken chain of succession. The creation of a seat, that is the diocese where he is over, and the office of head of apostles is taken in that place.
During this season of easter the Church also mourns the death of Pope Francis, the 266th Pope. He was elected Pope March 13 2013 and died Easter Monday April 21, 2025. He has performed 47 visits to various countries, including Iraq to visit victims of ISIS, Oceania, Papua New Guinea and Mongolia.
At the beginning of his papacy, he started out strong yet humble. Coming out on the Logia, he asked everyone there to please stop and say a prayer for him. He picked up the Year of Faith started by Pope Benedict and carried it very strongly. He celebrated his first canonization by canonizing John Paul II and John XXIII with Pope Benedict being present there. Francis would go on to canonize Mother Teresa, Kateri Tekawitha, Oscar Romero, Paul VI, the parents of Therese of Liseaux, opening a new category of saint as well as Beatify Carlo Acutis, Stanly Rother, and the Ulma Family.
Pope Francis was a pope of Mercy. In 2015 he opened the extraordinary year of Mercy where he invited and drew so many people who had felt cast out and unable to approach mercy. He spoke much of the ministry of accompaniment where we take our shoes off before the holy presence of the other. He called all priests to learn how to smell like your sheep, and that the church should resemble more of a field hospital in the middle of battle. He often visited prisons and called for days of the poor. He had a great love for the marginalized and those on the fringes of society. He had a call for respect of immigrant and refugees, that as important as it is to protect a country and to keep a country safe, we are also called to see the dignity of all people and how the immigrant and migrant, though called to respect laws, should be treated with respect and if better efforts could be made to welcome them with dignity.
He was a man who loved Mary. He had a big devotion to Our Lady Undoer of Knots and use to go and visit Mary at Mary Major. His final request was to be buried there, the first pope in over 100 year to be buried outside of St. Peters and the first to be filmed and transported by car.His last act was to greet everyone on Easter Sunday morning, giving his Urbis et Orbis Address and going around to visit the various people. What happens next? A conclave will convene to elect a new pope. Around May 6. Over 80 can’t vote.