Pope Francis Marks Ten Years As Head Of Catholic Church

Pope Francis has marked his 10th year as head of the Catholic Church, having been elected on March 13, 2013.

While he has not changed basic Catholic doctrine, he has shown a more compassionate and less dogmatic approach to issues such as social justice, inter-religious dialogue, the environment, and the rights of refugees.

He has also worked to reform the governance of the Church and clean up its finances, as well as tackle the ongoing sexual abuse scandal.

The pope has sought to forge alliances with countries around the world, though his offers to broker peace in Ukraine have not yielded significant results.

His humble style has been praised, but some criticize his personal governance of the Church and see him as authoritarian.

The conservative wing of the Church opposes him, and preparations for a conclave to choose his successor are already underway.

However, Francis has left his mark by appointing 65% of the cardinals who will elect his successor.