The death of Pope Francis: His transitional papacy of liberal suggestion and signaling is now over, but what comes next?

Pope Francis, considered by Roman Catholic dogma to be Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Patriarch of the West, Bishop of Rome, and Servant of the Servants of God, died on April 21 in Rome at age 88. His 12-year papacy was marked by continual controversy and what amounted to a massive rebranding project for the papacy itself. Unlike his two famous predecessor popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Francis presented himself as a simple pastor, genial and usually smiling. Of