Pope Francis Death Anniversary | Pope Leo Pays Tribute To Predecessor On First Death Anniversary

Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to Pope Francis on Tuesday aboard the papal plane on the first anniversary of his death, recalling his preaching about God’s mercy and his gestures of solidarity with poor people. “We thank the Lord for the great gift of the life of Francis, to the church and the world,” Leo said. The American pope delivered the tribute in Italian while speaking with reporters aboard the papal plane heading from Angola to Equatorial Guinea, the final leg of his four-nation African trip. Francis died on Easter Monday last year after suffering a stroke.