April 21, 2026
One year ago, on April 21, Pope Francis died at 88, after serving as the head of the Catholic Church for 12 years. He was known for his radical commitment to mercy, humility and inclusion and viewed the Church as a “field hospital,” known for healing.
Exhibit features artifacts of Pope Francis and other popes
by Karen A. Avitabile
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center in New Haven welcomes visitors to a permanent gallery that highlights the relationship between the Knights of Columbus, Pope Francis and other pontificates who have passed.
Honoring the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ death, the pilgrimage center continues to exhibit artifacts from his 12-year reign, including the chair he used at the 2016 World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.
The pilgrimage center’s permanent exhibit, called the Papal Gallery, showcases the 143-year history between the Vatican and the Knights of Columbus through a curated collection of art, artifacts, correspondence and photographs. This exhibit highlights the significant role popes have played in the organization’s growth and activities.
Portraits of all the popes, including Pope Francis, 88, who died on April 21, 2025, grace the walls inside the Papal Gallery. Pope Francis played a significant role in advancing the cause of sainthood for Blessed Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest from New Haven, who is being considered for sainthood.
In 1882, Blessed McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus to serve the needs of a largely immigrant Catholic community. He died in 1890 of pneumonia when he was 38 years old.
Blessed McGivney moved a step closer to possible sainthood after Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to his intercession in May 2020. He was beatified on Oct. 31, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. The center serves as a repository for Knights of Columbus history and information about the life of Blessed McGivney.
The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center at 1 State Street welcomes visitors Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and there is parking beneath the building. For more information, call 203.865.0400 or visit (www.michaelmcgivneycenter.org)
A year after Pope Francis’ death, we continue to honor his memory for his dedication to mercy.
(Karen A. Avitabile is the editor of the Catholic Transcript magazine for the Archdiocese of Hartford.)
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