American Jewish Committee Statement on Passing of Pope Francis
American Jewish Committee (AJC) mourns the passing of Pope Francis. The pontiff, who was elected to serve in 2013, died today at the age of 88. Jorge Mario Bergoglio ascended to the throne of St. Peter after decades as a priest, bishop, archbishop, and cardinal in greater Buenos Aires, where he enjoyed an exemplary relationship with the Argentinian Jewish community. He chose Francis as his papal name, in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi, a forerunner of the interreligious outreach which characterized Francis’s papacy.