Rome, April 21 -- Pope Francis, who passed away aged 88 today, was one of the Vatican's most unique figures, with his papacy being marked by several unusual aspects.
He was the first Jesuit-Latin American, and non-European to hold the title in centuries, as well as being the first one to hold the title after the resignation, instead of his successor's death in over 600 years - an unusual practice in the highly tradition-driven Vatican.
Though he did not radically alter Catholic practices, Francis surprised the global community with his comments on topics such as homosexuality, abortion, and the death penalty, being far less hardline than his predecessor Benedict XVI.
For the Catholic world, his papacy was one of the most interesting and...