During Francis’s papacy, evangelical Protestantism and secularism continued to remake Latin America’s religious geography, especially in Brazil.

As the first Argentinian to be elected to the papacy, Pope Francis’s rise was of particular significance in Latin America. For millions of Argentines, the late Pope was both a figure of controversy and a spiritual guiding light,

Drawing on Latin American theology that emphasizes collaboration, developed in response to continued struggles with colonialism, Francis pushed for a Catholic Church with broader inclusion of people on the margins.