Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death, recalling his preaching about God's mercy and his solidarity with poor people. The American pope delivered the tribute while aboard the papal plane heading from Angola to Equatorial Guinea on the final leg of his four-nation African trip. He also recalled some of Francis' most memorable homilies and messages, including his first Sunday noon prayer as pope and a Mass he celebrated two days before his pontificate was inaugurated. The anniversary of Francis’ death was marked with commemorations in Rome, including the release of commemorative books about and recollections of Francis.