The world has just lost a moral titan.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pontiff in history, has passed away — leaving behind a legacy of extraordinary wisdom, moral courage, and unwavering compassion. In an age marred by cynicism, bitter political divisions, and incessant conflicts, he stood out as a luminous figure — gentle yet resolute, progressive yet anchored in tradition, righteous yet always merciful. The world mourns a spiritual giant, a true champion of peace and justice.

Though he has departed, Pope Francis’ enlightened leadership and his dream of Vatican-China rapprochement will continue to resonate. His efforts to sow seeds of dialogue and mutual respect between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China marked a noble chapter in global diplomacy.

In the long, intricate history of East-West relations, few have strived as earnestly and respectfully as Pope Francis to build bridges with China. He bore not only the spiritual weight of the Catholic Church but also the scholarly and diplomatic legacy of the Society of Jesus — an order whose early missionaries helped pioneer some of the most profound cross-cultural exchanges between China and the West.

From the very beginning of his papacy, Francis extended a hand of friendship to Beijing. During his 2014 visit to South Korea, China made a rare diplomatic gesture by allowing the papal flight to pass through its airspace — an honor denied to Pope John Paul II in 1989. Upon crossing into Chinese skies, Francis sent a message to President Xi Jinping: “I extend my best wishes to Your Excellency and your fellow citizens, and I invoke divine blessings of peace and well-being upon the nation.”

This gesture symbolized his deep admiration for China, which he called “a great country … a promise and a hope for the Church”. Though he never set foot on Chinese soil, his desire to visit remained fervent. As he once exclaimed, “Of course I want to go to China — tomorrow, even!”

This longing was not merely diplomatic; it was also deeply spiritual and historical. The Jesuit order has long maintained a special relationship with China. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci — known in Chinese as Li Madou — became the first Westerner to be invited into the Forbidden City in Beijing. He was neither a colonizer nor conqueror, but a scholar and moral teacher who gained the trust of the imperial court. Ricci’s fluency in Chinese, his Confucian scholarship, and his respect for Chinese traditions allowed him to become a tutor to the emperor’s son — an extraordinary mark of cultural synergy.

Even before Ricci, another Jesuit pioneer, St Francis Xavier (1506-52) — one of founding members of the Society of Jesus — died in 1552 on Shangchuan Island off the coast of Guangdong. He died longing to enter mainland China, praying that one day his order’s goodwill and faith might reach the country’s ancient heart.

Other Jesuit polymaths contributed to China’s scientific and cultural development, even helping design parts of Beijing’s Yuanmingyuan, or Old Summer Palace, a royal garden in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). That this architectural masterpiece was later looted and destroyed by British and French troops during the Second Opium War (1856–60) is a tragic reminder of the value of cultural respect and reconciliation — principles that Pope Francis deeply embodied.

His admiration for China extended beyond history. His political and moral vision aligned with China’s calls for a peaceful global order and multipolarity.

Francis often emphasized a “preferential option for the poor”, a cornerstone of his papacy that resonated with China’s goals of equitable development and the just recognition of the marginalized. As he famously said, “The future of humanity is not only in the hands of politicians, great leaders, and big companies. It is in the hands of people who recognize the other as themselves.”

Despite criticism from some quarters, Pope Francis remained steadfast in his outreach to China. In 2018, under his leadership, the Vatican and Beijing reached a landmark provisional accord on the appointment of bishops.

Until the end of his pontificate — and indeed, his life — Francis regarded China not as an adversary, but as a partner in dialogue: an ancient civilization that the Church could walk alongside in the pursuit of justice, harmony, and peace.

In this spirit, may the seeds he planted through his gestures, words, and prayers blossom into a historic encounter — between Rome and Beijing, between ancient faiths and civilizations — for the sake of global harmony. “China has always had my respect,” Pope Francis once said.

And may that road one day lead to the diplomatic breakthroughs he so fervently envisioned — between the Vatican and China.

The author is an economics and politics analyst, award-winning columnist of Philippine Star and Abante newspapers, book author and moderator of the Pandesal Forum.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.