Patron Saint of Celebrity
Pope Francis died on April 21, Easter Monday, following a long illness and a five-week stay in a hospital in Rome. He leaves behind a legacy of humility, earning the title of the “People’s Pope.”
Elected in 2013, Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, and the world immediately took notice—a change had occurred. From the start, he broke from tradition, opting for simpler attire void of the traditional red Prada loafers and pageantry.
Taking the name Francis—the first to do so—after St. Francis of Assisi, a saint known for his vow of poverty and humility, the newly elected pope made it clear he would be the first in many regards.
Barely a year had passed, and Pope Francis would appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine – the first Pope to do so- signaling a modern and more relatable approach to the papacy. His choice to collaborate with Rolling Stone was a bold move, meeting the people where they were, right at the center of pop culture. Fame found Francis, and it would help cement him as one of the most memorable figures ever to sit in the seat of St. Peter, wielding celebrity power for his mission of world peace and human love.
“When you met him, you could feel that energy, and you could feel that decency and goodness, and I think the way to honor him is to try to be that,” said actress Eva Longoria, Texas A&M University-Kingsville alumnus, in an interview with Access Hollywood following the passing of the late pontiff. “Thank you for being an ally to many of us and speaking up for the marginalized,” Longoria further stated on Instagram.
Celebrity tributes began to roll in as news broke around the world.
“I had the honor of sitting down with Pope Francis for a conversation on the urgent need to address climate change. That experience was enlightening, deeply moving and thought-provoking,” actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio said in a statement on social media.
Despite his humble nature and non-materialistic way of living, Pope Francis, oddly enough, understood the power of celebrity-a celebrity that, as pope, he now found himself to embody. Francis shook up the Vatican and its hierarchy not only by embracing fame but also by opening the doors of the Church to many who had long felt oppressed by it, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, migrants and poor communities. He opted to live in Casa Santa Marta instead of the lavish papal apartment in St. Peter’s Basilica, where he welcomed these communities, providing them with housing and medical care—all largely out of the spotlight that had zeroed in on his relationship with Hollywood. However, it was through that same spotlight that he directed attention to the global causes he championed most.
Humor was never too far from Pope Francis. Last year, to make the world laugh, Pope Francis hosted a gathering of over 100 comedians and entertainers from around the world, now dubbed the “conclave of comedy,” illustrating his belief in the power of laughter and human connection.
“The Pope came out, sat down and just wanted to thank comedians for making people laugh and putting a smile on people’s faces during dark times. And it was the nicest thing,” Jimmy Fallon told NBC News. “It was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer,” Fallon wrote on Instagram after hearing news of the pontiff’s passing. “I’m glad I made you laugh.”
In a statement to Variety magazine, Hollywood director Martin Scorsese said of Pope Francis, “He acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So, he never stopped learning.”
Throughout his 12-year reign, he frequently met with stars from all genres and backgrounds—from non-Catholics to non-believers—demonstrating his commitment to outreach beyond traditional religious boundaries and helping to champion causes amplified by those in the spotlight, accomplishing what many popes before him had merely attempted: bridging the sacred and the secular. The stage is currently being set to name the successor of Pope Francis, with the papal conclave scheduled to begin on May 7. However, the Holy See now asks who could fill Francis’s humble shoes. Considering the global response to his passing, it seems Francis was a once-in-a-lifetime beacon of hope, acceptance and love.