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(NewsNation) — Pope Francis died Monday in the Vatican at the age of 88. His passing has shocked the world since less than 24 hours earlier, the ailing pontiff delivered a surprise Easter blessing on St. Peter’s balcony after greeting thousands of pilgrims gathered in the square below in his popemobile.

It would be his final blessing to those gathered in Rome — and to the entire world. Perhaps he knew, and that’s why he made such a valiant effort to send one last message to the world despite a serious respiratory illness.

Now, believers and nonbelievers who were particularly attracted by the Argentine are reflecting on his 12-year pontificate and the legacy he leaves behind. Here are five lessons he taught during his historic pontificate.

Have mercy on others

If there’s one theme that underscores Pope Francis’ time as leader of the billion-plus Catholic Church, it’s God’s mercy. He focused on mercy from the very beginning of his pontificate in 2013. In his first weekly Sunday greeting after being elected pope, he said, “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.”

Later that same year, Francis developed the theme in his first major papal document, “The Joy of the Gospel.” In it, he wrote, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.” And he not only reminded Christians that God was merciful, but he also pushed Christians to practice mercy with others.

In 2016, he said, “It is not enough to experience God’s mercy in our lives. It is necessary for those who receive it also to be a sign and instrument for others.”

Be humble

Pope Francis emphasized the virtue of humility. During his inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, which marked the official start of his papacy, Francis laid out his commitment to humility: “True power is service. The pope must serve all people, especially the poorest, the weakest, the smallest. Only in humility can we truly serve others.” 

It was a virtue he lived out in big and small ways. In a move that dismayed many Italians and Vatican officials, Francis decided to live in the Vatican residence that houses guests instead of the much grander and historic Apostolic Palace, where popes usually live. This gesture meant more than opting for simpler living quarters.

This act of humility and simplicity was also a prudent one. It allowed the Holy Father to interact with regular people from all over the world on a daily basis, sometimes standing in line to use the microwave. It was a piece of advice he offered priests early in his pontificate: “Be shepherds with the smell of sheep.”

At times, Pope Francis shocked the world with his humility. In 2019, he knelt and kissed the feet of the leaders of South Sudan at the Vatican, pleading with them to make peace in the war-ravaged region. The gesture scandalized some critics.  

Be sincere about what you believe

While many in the media describe Francis as the most compassionate Catholic leader, he was often direct and did not mince words or water down his beliefs, often highlighting the Catholic Church’s most controversial teachings. 

In July of 2013, Pope Francis became an instant sensation in the media when he was asked about the so-called gay lobby in the Vatican during an impromptu press conference. “If a person is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge him?” he famously said. For much of the media, the quote defined the new Latin American pope and offered a new “progressive” position.

But many media outlets left out the rest of what Pope Francis said: “The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this very well. It says they should not be marginalized because of this [orientation] but that they must be integrated into society.” The statement did not represent a change in Catholic doctrine but a reiteration of its position. 

On countless other occasions, the pope condemned abortion in no uncertain terms, even comparing it to hiring a hitman. “Is it licit to eliminate a human life to solve a problem? Is it licit to hire a hitman to solve a problem? It is not licit. Every life is sacred, from conception to natural death,” he said in 2018.

“Abortion is not only the termination of a life, but a failure of our society to offer the support and care needed for mothers and families. We must build a culture that cherishes life, not one that discards it,” he said during an address in 2022.

And on the controversy surrounding transgender issues, Pope Francis condemned what he called gender ideology, which he said “denies the difference and reciprocity in nature of a man and a woman and envisages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the anthropological basis of the family.”

He often framed the debate as a form of “ideological colonization,” a term he coined that refers to the West imposing its ideas on less developed nations, equating it to exploitation. But he consistently welcomed transgender people, emphasized their human dignity and urged respect for them.    

Despite these controversial positions, Pope Francis garnered respect from political, religious and cultural leaders.

Enter into dialogue and create a ‘culture of encounter’

Through his pontificate, Pope Francis urged the world to use dialogue to bridge religious, cultural and ideological divides. “The world needs dialogue: a dialogue that is open, respectful, and sincere. Where there is dialogue, there is hope. Where there is no dialogue, there is conflict, mistrust, and fear,” he said in 2016.

Pope Francis met with Muslim, Jewish and Orthodox leaders, always highlighting mutual respect, a real exchange of ideas and common ground.

During a historic visit to Iraq in 2021, Francis met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a leading Shiite cleric. During that meeting, he said, “Dialogue between religions and cultures is the only way to overcome hatred and violence. We must meet as brothers and sisters, children of the same God.”

Pope Francis even reached out to atheists. In a 2013 open letter to Eugenio Scalfari, a prominent Italian atheist and founder of La Repubblica, one of the most important Italian newspapers, the pope wrote, “Dialogue does not mean relativizing one’s beliefs, but opening oneself to the truth that can be found in the other. … The question of God is not just for believers but for all who seek meaning in life.”

Love is not just a theory – live it!

Perhaps Pope Francis’s greatest lesson is that love is not a theory, but a way of life. In his 2015 encyclical “Laudato Sì,” he passed on wisdom about how humanity and God’s creation are deeply interconnected and require love. “We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it,” he wrote.

Throughout his 12 years as pope, Francis met with the poor, the marginalized, immigrants, children and people with disabilities. Prioritizing the vulnerable and weak was the hallmark of his pontificate.

And despite a 38-day stay in the hospital for double pneumonia earlier this year, he appeared determined to love and serve until the very end. His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, when he blessed a crowd of over 30,000 from the balcony of St. Peter’s. Despite his frailty, he managed to say, “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Pope Francis died less than 24 hours later. He was 88 years old.