Pope Francis’ Approval Rating Remains High in the U.S. But Has Slipped Since 2021

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square gathered for his weekly general audience on April 3, 2024.

Neither Benedict nor Francis has yet achieved the lofty heights set by the saintly Pope John Paul II, who in 1990 and 1996 garnered approval from 93% of U.S. Catholics, according to Pew’s data.