By Victor Gaetan

The Pope’s foreign policy

How Francis extended and transformed the Vatican’s global reach

After Pope Francis’s death, on April 21, much of the world’s attention has focused on his personality: his humility, his humor, his hands-on management style. All that goes to the grave. The Argentine pope’s contributions to Vatican diplomacy, meanwhile, will be a lasting legacy. Francis charted a diplomatic course independent of Western capitals, elevated Catholic leaders in countries that had never been part of the church’s governance, and honed a diplomatic method that is both pragmatic and aspirational.