Pope Francis regularly called a church in Gaza to ask how residents there were doing during the Israel-Hamas war. He is remembered as a defender and consoling presence.

In Jerusalem, mourners gathered at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to remember Pope Francis, who championed peace across the Middle East. Local clergy say he called Gaza’s only Catholic parish daily,

From the war-torn streets of Gaza to the solemn halls of the Vatican, people are remembering a pontiff who redefined what it meant to lead with compassion, humility, and bold moral clarity. Here’s a look at the defining moments and legacies that the world is celebrating as it bids farewell to a pope who touched lives far beyond the walls of the Church.