An Intimate Portrait of Pope Francis and His Open-Ended Legacy

After Pope Francis's death in 2025, Vatican staff quickly cleared Casa Santa Marta, a moment underscored by a personal photo of NCR journalist Salvatore Cernuzio found in his study. Cernuzio's memoir Padre: An Untold Portrait of Pope Francis portrays a pope deeply engaged with crises and daily humanity, including late-life pilgrimages to Gaza and migrant sites, and even a possible Moscow–Kyiv mediation, as well as his habit of personal, caring gestures. The book argues his legacy lies in prophetic openness and ongoing dialogue rather than fixed doctrinal decisions. A companion volume, Reactivating Pope Francis, frames his impact as open processes and synodality that keep the Church moving forward.