Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope and a key figure in Cuba’s recent diplomatic history, died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 following a period of declining health. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he led the Catholic Church for 12 years with a message rooted in humility, justice, and reconciliation.
Francis was the third pope to visit Cuba, following Pope John Paul II in 1998 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. His landmark visit in 2015 came at a pivotal time: in the midst of a historic thaw in U.S.–Cuba relations. During his visit, he celebrated Mass in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución, met with dictator Fidel Castro and his brother, Raul Castro, and helped facilitate the first-ever meeting between a pope and the Russian Orthodox patriarch—held in Havana in 2016.
Francis emphasized dialogue and peace in his dealings with the island, and his diplomacy was widely viewed as instrumental in supporting renewed communication between Cuba and the United States.
As tributes pour in from around the world, Cuba too remembers a pope who played a symbolic and diplomatic role in a critical moment of its history.
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