Many Armenians view the pontiff favorably for his moral stance on pressing world issues and for his elevation of an Armenian monk to the rank of doctor of the church.

Catholic activists had lobbied for the inclusion of human rights protections and lowering the threshold for the earth's temperatures to be more in line with scientific research. They also advocated for adequate financing for poor countries to adapt to cleaner energy, and the phasing out of fossil fuels.

"Time and time again you guys have failed to show up with real solutions," said Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, a 15-year-old Aztec Indian, environmental activist and hip-hop artist from Boulder, Colorado. "It's up to the people to change the world. Our voices united will make more of a difference than world leaders ever have and ever will."