It is difficult to compare him to any other leaders, even within the Catholic Church, at a time when the world is dangling to the right. Whoever will replace him as the pontiff of 1.4 billion people, the world hopes he will continue Francis’ legacy, especially because new challenges are awaiting.

The Catholic Church has 250 cardinals, but only those under 80 are eligible to vote. The new pope will be decided by 135 cardinal electors, including Jakarta archbishop Ignatius Suharyo, in a conclave that will be concluded in the coming two or three weeks.

When Francis visited Jakarta last September as part of his Asia-Pacific tour, Indonesians, not just Catholics, were awestruck by his charm and modesty, a stark contrast with politicians who do not hesitate to flaunt their wealth and hunger for power.

Francis chose to ride a locally assembled Toyota Innova, opened the car window along the way and tirelessly waved his hands to greet people waiting for him along the roadside. Indonesian Catholics, a minority group who account for only 3 percent of the 283.4 million population of predominantly Muslim Indonesia, were incredibly proud of his visit.

During his stay in Jakarta, the pope visited the Istiqlal Mosque and met with grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, who now serves as the religious affairs minister. Along with representatives of the six officially recognized religions in Indonesia, Francis signed the four-point Istiqlal Declaration, which promotes interfaith dialogue as an effective tool to resolve local, regional and international conflicts, especially “those incited by the abuse of religion”.

In his remarks, Francis admired the beauty of Indonesia’s plurality. He also praised the nation’s principles of unity in diversity and social justice, which were very much in line with the motto of his first-ever visit to Indonesia: “Faith, Fraternity, Compassion”.

Francis was known as a progressive reformer who often clashed with other top brass in the conservative Church during his 12-year papacy. He never hesitated to demonstrate his determination to promote social justice and protection of minorities and the marginalized. He also built deep relationships with leaders of other religions, especially Islam.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi eloquently described Francis as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions worldwide. The Indian leader said he was greatly inspired by the pope’s commitment to inclusive and all-around development.

Surely, the pope will always be remembered for persistently serving the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope.

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, he was elected the leader of Catholics across the globe and the head of state of the Vatican in 2013, after the previous pope, Benedict XIV, resigned.

Despite opposition from within, Francis never stopped in his campaign to protect human rights and the dignity of the people, especially those who were marginalized or outcast. Under his papacy, the Church became more empathic toward LGBTQ people. He was a staunch opponent of uncontrolled capitalism, consumerism and right-wing populism, as well as a strong proponent of decisive action on climate change and the protection of migrants.

Although many Catholics prefer to choose the conservative side and often oppose Pope Francis’s soft approach to sensitive issues like LGBTQ rights, they never denied his persistent attention to helping the poor and victims of forgotten conflicts such as in Syria and Africa.

Heads of state and governments from around the world and leaders of different faiths, including Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, have testified that Francis has left a strong moral legacy that we must preserve.

Rest in peace il Papa.