In his apostolic letter Sublimitas et Miseria Hominis (‘The Grandeur and Misery of Man’), Pope Francis pays homage to Blaise Pascal on the four-hundredth anniversary of his birth.

Pascal (1623-1662) was a French mathematician, physicist, philosopher, and Catholic writer who was a ‘tireless seeker of the truth, ‘ according to Pope Francis. Pascal is credited with many scientific developments and inventions, including one of the earliest forms of the calculator, and helped lay the foundation for modern probability theory. In his later years, he became a Christian apologist and wrote his widely acclaimed Pensées (‘Thoughts’).

In an effort to ‘encourage Christians, and their contemporaries of good will, in the pursuit of authentic happiness, ‘ Pope Francis writes, ‘may the brilliant work of Blaise Pascal and the example of his life, so profoundly immersed in Jesus Christ, help us to persevere to the end on the path of truth, conversion and charity.’