Jorge Mario Bergoglio (fourth boy from the left on the third row from the top) studied at a Salesian school between 1948 and 1949.
Gallery of Pope Francis
Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires
Jorge Mario Bergoglio attended Don Bosco school.
College/University
Gallery of Pope Francis
Career
Gallery of Pope Francis
2013
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Gianluigi Buffon of Italy (L) during an audience at The Vatican on August 13, 2013, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Claudio Villa)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2013
St. John Lateran Basilica, Rome, Italy
Pope Francis during a mass at the St. John Lateran Basilica on April 7, 2013, in Rome, Italy. The pontiff was formally installed as the Bishop of Rome today, during a mass at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2013
St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Newly-elected Pope Francis bows his head in prayer as he appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2013
Vatican City, Vatican
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (L), along with by his wife Elvira Rodriguez (R) gives a present of a jersey shirt of the Spanish national football team signed by all the players to Pope Francis (C) during a private audience on April 15, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2014
Olimpico Stadium, Rome, Italy
Pope Francis meets Diego Maradona during an audience with the players of the 'Partita Interreligiosa Della Pace' at Paul VI Hall before the Interreligious Match For Peace at Olimpico Stadium on September 1, 2014, in Rome, Italy.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2014
Haemi, South Korea
Pope Francis waves to the faithful upon his arrival for the 6th Asian Youth Day on August 17, 2014, in Haemi, South Korea. Pope Francis is visiting South Korea from August 14 to August 18. This trip is the third trip abroad for the pope following Brazil and the Middle East. This is the third pontifical visit to South Korea. (Photo by Committee for the 2014 Papal Visit to Korea)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2014
Vatican Gardens, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis kisses Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as Israeli President Shimon Peres looks in during a peace invocation prayer at the Vatican Gardens on June 8, 2014, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2014
Vatican City, Vatican
Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh exchange gifts with Pope Francis at The Vatican on April 03, 2014, in Vatican City, Italy.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing message from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica at the end of the Easter Mass on April 5, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis attends the Pentecost Celebration at the St. Peter's Basilica on May 24, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, United States
Pope Francis waves from the back of his Fiat after arriving from Cuba September 22, 2015, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Francis will be visiting Washington, New York City and Philadelphia during his first trip to the United States as pope. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
Washington, DC, United States
Cartrice Haynesworth, center, has a selfie taken with Pope Francis, left, as he walks through the crowd during a visit to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington September 24, 2015, in Washington, DC. Pope Francis is in the United States for six days during his first trip as the leader of the Catholic Church.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
President Barack Obama (R) meets with Pope Francis (L) in the Oval Office at the White House on September 23, 2015, in Washington, DC. The Pope begins his first trip to the United States at the White House followed by a visit to St. Matthew's Cathedral, and will then hold a Mass on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. (Photo by Alex Wong)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, New York, United States
Pope Francis meets with Gerard Gubatan of Brooklyn during his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport September 24, 2015, in New York City.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
Paul VI Hall, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis smiles as he receives from a newly married couple a figurine featuring himself, during his audience at the Paul VI Hall on January 28, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2015
House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC, United States
Pope Francis is applauded by members of Congress as he arrives to speak during a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2015, in Washington, DC.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and his son Nikolai Lukashenko (L) during a private audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 21, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Basilica of St Mary Major, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis attends the opening of the Holy Door at the papal Basilica of St Mary Major on January 1, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. The Basilica of St Mary Major is one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Mother of God. Pope Francis chose the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God to open the Holy Door. Since the Jubilee Year of 1500, Holy Doors have been opened at all four of the Major Basilicas in Rome. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
Pope Francis is met by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos II as he arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos at Mytilene airport on April 16, 2016, in Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece. Pope Francis will visit migrants at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos along with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos II. (Photo by Milos Bicanski)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets nuns Bridgettines from Sweden at the end of a coanonisation ceremony in St. Peter's Square on June 5, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Paul VI Hall, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis receives a surf board during 'Un Muro o Un Ponte' Seminary held by Pope Francis at the Paul VI Hall on May 29, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis attends Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square on March 20, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Giulio Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis holds a Teen Jubilee Mass as part of ongoing celebrations of the Year of Mercy in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Vatican on April 24, 2016. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Colosseum, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis leads the Way of The Cross at the Colosseum on March 25, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Giulio Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
El Caracol, Ecatepec, Mexico
Pope Francis leads a mass for the people at El Caracol on February 14, 2016, in Ecatepec, Mexico. Pope Francis is on a five days visit in Mexico from February 12 to 17 where he is expected to visit five states. (Photo by Hector Vivas/LatinContent/Getty Images)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis shows the gospel during the Easter vigil mass at St. Peter's Basilica on March 26, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis baptizes during the Holy Saturday Easter vigil mass at St. Peter's Basilica on March 26, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis on Friday evening presided over the Stations of the Cross in the Coliseum. During his prayer at the end of the service, the Holy Father Êlamented the those Christians killed for their faith by 'barbarous blades amid cowardly silence'. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis takes the baby Jesus as he leaves St. Peter's Basilica at the end of the Christmas Night Mass on December 24, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets President of the Republic of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Apostolic Palace on May 28, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. Two leaders spoke about certain international issues and the regional political situation, with particular reference to the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue for the promotion of human rights, stability, justice and peace in Southeast Asia. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 8th December 2015 - 20th November 2016. During the Penitential Celebration Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) confessing to Father Rocco Rizzo, rector of the College of Confessors at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, 4th March 2016 (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets Japan Prince Akishino on May 12, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene of Monaco and their delegation during at the Apostolic Palace on January 18, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Rome, Italy
Pope Francis greets leaders and members of the local Jewish community during his visit to the Rome's synagogue on January 17, 2016, in Rome, Italy. The visit marks the third time a pontiff has been invited to the synagogue, following on from the visit by Benedict XVI in January 2010 and the historic encounter of Pope John Paul II with former Rabbi Elio Toaff there in 1986. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis praised Stephen Hawking when they met at the Vatican recently for a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Francis was thrilled to meet Stephen Hawking, and he praised him for his brilliant work in the field of science.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Havana, Cuba
Pope Francis meets with Patriarch Kirill in Havana, Cuba on February 12, 2016.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang, during a private audience in Vatican, on 23 November 2016.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis arrives for the Jubilee audience at St. Peter's Square on November 12, 2016, at the Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Swedbank Stadion, Malmo, Sweden
A general view of the stage where Pope Francis holds the Holy Mass at the Swedbank Stadion on November 1, 2016, in Malmo, Sweden. The Pope is on 2 days visit attending Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration in Lund and Malmo.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Accumoli, Italy
A Carabiniere kisses the hands of Pope Francis during his visit in Accumoli on October 4, 2016, after an earthquake hit the area on August 24, a disaster that claimed nearly 300 lives. Pope Francis made an emotionally charged visit to the Italian mountain communities devastated by an August 24 earthquake, praying silently amid the ruins and urging survivors to have faith in the future.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vatican Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis receives a present from the DFB during a private audience at the Vatican Palace on November 14, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Vardanants Square, Gyumri, Armenia
Pope Francis and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II greet people from Popemobile at Vardanants Square in Gyumri, Armenia, 25 June 2016.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2016
Lund, Sweden
Vatican Prelate Secretary of the Secretariat for the Economy Alfred Xuereb, Pope Francis and Queen Silvia of Sweden greet spectators at Kungshuset on October 31, 2016, in Lund, Sweden. The Pope is on 2 days visit attending Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration in Lund and Malmo. (Photo by Michael Campanella)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Vatican City
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania with Pope Francis, 24 May 2017, Vatican City.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Vatican City, Vatican
President of United States of America Donald Trump and Wife Melania Trump meet Pope Francis, on May 22, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Jerusalem, Israel
Pope Francis prays by the Western Wall on May 26, 2014, in Jerusalem, Israel.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he arrives in St. Peter's Square for his weekly audience on September 13, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican yesterday at the end of his five day apostolic visit to Colombia. Pope Francis suffered a black eye after hitting his head on the Popemobile when his vehicle stopped suddenly during a mass in Cartagena. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets Burmese State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi on May 4, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
Pope Francis and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi are seen prior to the Pope's speech on November 28, 2017, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Rome, Italy
Pope Francis, flanked by the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, attends the feast of the Immaculate Conception at Spanish Steps on December 8, 2017, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Carpi, Italy
Pope Francis leads a mass during a pastoral visit in Carpi on April 2, 2017, in Carpi, Italy. Pope Francis is visiting Italy's Emilia Romagna region which was hit by two deadly earthquakes in May 2012.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on April 4, 2017 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Tim Rook)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Rome, Italy
Pope Francis visits Rome's All Saints' Anglican Church in Rome on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the foundation of Rome's Anglican parish community, on February 26, 2017, in Rome, Italy.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt
Pope Francis delivering a speech during a visit to the prestigious Sunni institution Al-Azhar in Cairo on April 28, 2017. (Photo by Fayed El-Geziry)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Paul VI Hall, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets children coming from Bolivia at the end of his Weekly General Audience in Paul VI Hall in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
U.S. World War II cemetery, Nettuno, Italy
Pope Francis leaves a white rose on a grave before a mass at the U.S. World War II cemetery on the day Christians around the world commemorate their dead, on November 2, 2017 in Nettuno, near Rome.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Tuscany, Italy
Pope Francis (L) speaks next to cardinal Giuseppe Betori during a visit to Barbiana in Tuscany, on June 20, 2017.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
Fatima, Portugal
Pope Francis kisses a baby as he leaves the Sanctuary of Fatima on May 13, 2017, in Fatima, Portugal.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2017
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis holds the Holy cross during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion at St. Peter's Basilica on April 14, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Source: Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Paul VI Hall, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets artists of Medrano and Roller Circus at the Paul VI Hall during his weekly audience on February 7, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Apostolic Palace on February 5, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Santa Sofia Basilica, Rome, Italy
Pope Francis and Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk (R) free doves at the Santa Sofia Basilica on January 28, 2018, in Rome, Italy. Santa Sofia is a 20th century Eastern Catholic titular church and minor basilica.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Áras an Uachtaráin, Dublin, Ireland
Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Pope Francis and Sabina Higgins meet at Áras an Uachtaráin on August 25, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland. Pope Francis is the 266th Catholic Pope and current sovereign of the Vatican. His visit, the first by a Pope since John Paul II's in 1979, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Catholics to a series of events in Dublin and Knock. During his visit he will have private meetings with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. (Photo by Phillip Massey)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez and his wife Silvana Lopez during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on November 5, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Vatican Basilica, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets the faithful at the end of the canonization ceremony of seven new Saints including Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero, at Vatican Basilica on October 14, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Alessandra Benedetti)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis talks to a man during a lunch, at the Vatican, Sunday 18th November 2018 in Vatican City. Pope Francis is offering several hundred poor people, homeless, migrants, unemployed a lunch on Sunday 18th November 2018 in Vatican City as he celebrates the World Day of the Poor (Photo by Massimo Valicchia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis poses with native Mexican people during his General Weekly Audience in St. Peter's Square on August 29, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with the French President Emmanuel Macron during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on June 26, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
St. Peter's square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets a group of nuns during the weekly audience in St. Peter's square on May 9, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. Addressing pilgrims in St Peter's Square for the weekly Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis made an appeal for peace in Syria, as the situation gets more complex in the Middle East. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis kisses a child during his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican City, Wednesday, May 2, 2018.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
O'Higgins Park, Santiago, Chile
Pope Francis arrives in a motorcade for a mass at O'Higgins Park in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. (Photographer: Tamara Merino)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Huanchaco, Peru
Pope Francis performs a mass during his 4-day apostolic visit to Peru on January 20, 2018, in Huanchaco, Peru. (Photo by Manuel Medir)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis poses for a photo with a group of faithful from Brazil during his Weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2018
Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
Pope Francis addresses the crowd at The Festival of Families event at Croke Park on August 25, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland. (Source: Jeff J Mitchell)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
Santa Sabina Basilica, Rome, Italy
Pope Francis celebrates Ash Wednesday at the Santa Sabina Basilica on March 06, 2019 in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass in the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome. As per tradition the ceremony started at the Basilica of St. Anselm where the Pope led a penitential procession to the nearby St. Sabina, marking the beginning Lent, the time of preparation for Holy Week. (Photo by Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis greets a group of children during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on March 06, 2019 in Vatican City, Vatican. In a telegram, addressed to Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Alabama, the Pope expressed his condolences to victims of a tornado, which struck Alabama in the United States.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
Regia Hall, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis, flanked by cardinals and bishops, attends a closing Mass of 'The Protection Of Minors In The Church' meeting at the Regia Hall on February 24, 2019, in Vatican City, Vatican. The papal summit 'Protection of Minors in the Church', held in the Vatican from 21 to 24 February, brought together Presidents of Episcopal Conferences and those responsible for religious orders worldwide to discuss the crisis of abuse within the Catholic Church. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
Zayed Sport City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Zayed Sport City on February 5, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Pope Francis is on a historic three-day visit to the UAE, the first time a Pontiff has visited the Arabian peninsula.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, Vatican
Pope Francis meets Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on January 21, 2019, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Pope Francis
2019
Presidential Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Pope Francis and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan attends the welcome ceremony at Presidential Palace on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Gallery of Pope Francis
2014
Vatican City, Vatican
Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh exchange gifts with Pope Francis at The Vatican on April 03, 2014, in Vatican City, Italy.
Gallery of Pope Francis
An undated photo of Jorge Mario Bergoglio at the pulpit.
Gallery of Pope Francis
Victor Zorzin, rector of the School Maximo, Andres Swinnen, Teacher of the novices, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, province superior, Carlos Cravena, Minister of the School Maximo, and Hipolito Salvo, ex-provincial in Argentina.
Achievements
In 2013, American news magazine the Time named Pope Francis the Person of the Year, a prestigious title given to the one who “has done the most to influence the events of the year".
Membership
Awards
Bambi Award
2016
Rome, Italy
On November 10, 2016, His Holiness Pope Francis was presented with the Bambi award, a German media prize, in Rome.
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Gianluigi Buffon of Italy (L) during an audience at The Vatican on August 13, 2013, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Claudio Villa)
Pope Francis during a mass at the St. John Lateran Basilica on April 7, 2013, in Rome, Italy. The pontiff was formally installed as the Bishop of Rome today, during a mass at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Newly-elected Pope Francis bows his head in prayer as he appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (L), along with by his wife Elvira Rodriguez (R) gives a present of a jersey shirt of the Spanish national football team signed by all the players to Pope Francis (C) during a private audience on April 15, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis meets Diego Maradona during an audience with the players of the 'Partita Interreligiosa Della Pace' at Paul VI Hall before the Interreligious Match For Peace at Olimpico Stadium on September 1, 2014, in Rome, Italy.
Pope Francis waves to the faithful upon his arrival for the 6th Asian Youth Day on August 17, 2014, in Haemi, South Korea. Pope Francis is visiting South Korea from August 14 to August 18. This trip is the third trip abroad for the pope following Brazil and the Middle East. This is the third pontifical visit to South Korea. (Photo by Committee for the 2014 Papal Visit to Korea)
Pope Francis kisses Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as Israeli President Shimon Peres looks in during a peace invocation prayer at the Vatican Gardens on June 8, 2014, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing message from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica at the end of the Easter Mass on April 5, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis waves from the back of his Fiat after arriving from Cuba September 22, 2015, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Francis will be visiting Washington, New York City and Philadelphia during his first trip to the United States as pope. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla)
Cartrice Haynesworth, center, has a selfie taken with Pope Francis, left, as he walks through the crowd during a visit to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington September 24, 2015, in Washington, DC. Pope Francis is in the United States for six days during his first trip as the leader of the Catholic Church.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
President Barack Obama (R) meets with Pope Francis (L) in the Oval Office at the White House on September 23, 2015, in Washington, DC. The Pope begins his first trip to the United States at the White House followed by a visit to St. Matthew's Cathedral, and will then hold a Mass on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. (Photo by Alex Wong)
Pope Francis smiles as he receives from a newly married couple a figurine featuring himself, during his audience at the Paul VI Hall on January 28, 2015, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC, United States
Pope Francis is applauded by members of Congress as he arrives to speak during a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2015, in Washington, DC.
Pope Francis meets President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and his son Nikolai Lukashenko (L) during a private audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 21, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis attends the opening of the Holy Door at the papal Basilica of St Mary Major on January 1, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. The Basilica of St Mary Major is one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Mother of God. Pope Francis chose the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God to open the Holy Door. Since the Jubilee Year of 1500, Holy Doors have been opened at all four of the Major Basilicas in Rome. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Pope Francis is met by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos II as he arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos at Mytilene airport on April 16, 2016, in Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece. Pope Francis will visit migrants at the Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos along with Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos II. (Photo by Milos Bicanski)
Pope Francis greets nuns Bridgettines from Sweden at the end of a coanonisation ceremony in St. Peter's Square on June 5, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis receives a surf board during 'Un Muro o Un Ponte' Seminary held by Pope Francis at the Paul VI Hall on May 29, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis holds a Teen Jubilee Mass as part of ongoing celebrations of the Year of Mercy in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Vatican on April 24, 2016. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Pope Francis leads a mass for the people at El Caracol on February 14, 2016, in Ecatepec, Mexico. Pope Francis is on a five days visit in Mexico from February 12 to 17 where he is expected to visit five states. (Photo by Hector Vivas/LatinContent/Getty Images)
Pope Francis shows the gospel during the Easter vigil mass at St. Peter's Basilica on March 26, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Pope Francis baptizes during the Holy Saturday Easter vigil mass at St. Peter's Basilica on March 26, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis on Friday evening presided over the Stations of the Cross in the Coliseum. During his prayer at the end of the service, the Holy Father Êlamented the those Christians killed for their faith by 'barbarous blades amid cowardly silence'. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis takes the baby Jesus as he leaves St. Peter's Basilica at the end of the Christmas Night Mass on December 24, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Pope Francis meets President of the Republic of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Apostolic Palace on May 28, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican. Two leaders spoke about certain international issues and the regional political situation, with particular reference to the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue for the promotion of human rights, stability, justice and peace in Southeast Asia. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 8th December 2015 - 20th November 2016. During the Penitential Celebration Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) confessing to Father Rocco Rizzo, rector of the College of Confessors at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, 4th March 2016 (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka)
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene of Monaco and their delegation during at the Apostolic Palace on January 18, 2016, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis greets leaders and members of the local Jewish community during his visit to the Rome's synagogue on January 17, 2016, in Rome, Italy. The visit marks the third time a pontiff has been invited to the synagogue, following on from the visit by Benedict XVI in January 2010 and the historic encounter of Pope John Paul II with former Rabbi Elio Toaff there in 1986. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis praised Stephen Hawking when they met at the Vatican recently for a meeting of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Francis was thrilled to meet Stephen Hawking, and he praised him for his brilliant work in the field of science.
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang, during a private audience in Vatican, on 23 November 2016.
A general view of the stage where Pope Francis holds the Holy Mass at the Swedbank Stadion on November 1, 2016, in Malmo, Sweden. The Pope is on 2 days visit attending Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration in Lund and Malmo.
A Carabiniere kisses the hands of Pope Francis during his visit in Accumoli on October 4, 2016, after an earthquake hit the area on August 24, a disaster that claimed nearly 300 lives. Pope Francis made an emotionally charged visit to the Italian mountain communities devastated by an August 24 earthquake, praying silently amid the ruins and urging survivors to have faith in the future.
Vatican Prelate Secretary of the Secretariat for the Economy Alfred Xuereb, Pope Francis and Queen Silvia of Sweden greet spectators at Kungshuset on October 31, 2016, in Lund, Sweden. The Pope is on 2 days visit attending Catholic-Lutheran Commemoration in Lund and Malmo. (Photo by Michael Campanella)
President of United States of America Donald Trump and Wife Melania Trump meet Pope Francis, on May 22, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he arrives in St. Peter's Square for his weekly audience on September 13, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican yesterday at the end of his five day apostolic visit to Colombia. Pope Francis suffered a black eye after hitting his head on the Popemobile when his vehicle stopped suddenly during a mass in Cartagena. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis, flanked by the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, attends the feast of the Immaculate Conception at Spanish Steps on December 8, 2017, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis leads a mass during a pastoral visit in Carpi on April 2, 2017, in Carpi, Italy. Pope Francis is visiting Italy's Emilia Romagna region which was hit by two deadly earthquakes in May 2012.
Pope Francis meets with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall on April 4, 2017 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Tim Rook)
Pope Francis visits Rome's All Saints' Anglican Church in Rome on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the foundation of Rome's Anglican parish community, on February 26, 2017, in Rome, Italy.
Pope Francis greets children coming from Bolivia at the end of his Weekly General Audience in Paul VI Hall in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Pope Francis leaves a white rose on a grave before a mass at the U.S. World War II cemetery on the day Christians around the world commemorate their dead, on November 2, 2017 in Nettuno, near Rome.
Pope Francis holds the Holy cross during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion at St. Peter's Basilica on April 14, 2017, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Source: Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis greets artists of Medrano and Roller Circus at the Paul VI Hall during his weekly audience on February 7, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis and Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk (R) free doves at the Santa Sofia Basilica on January 28, 2018, in Rome, Italy. Santa Sofia is a 20th century Eastern Catholic titular church and minor basilica.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins, Pope Francis and Sabina Higgins meet at Áras an Uachtaráin on August 25, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland. Pope Francis is the 266th Catholic Pope and current sovereign of the Vatican. His visit, the first by a Pope since John Paul II's in 1979, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of Catholics to a series of events in Dublin and Knock. During his visit he will have private meetings with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. (Photo by Phillip Massey)
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez and his wife Silvana Lopez during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on November 5, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Pope Francis greets the faithful at the end of the canonization ceremony of seven new Saints including Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero, at Vatican Basilica on October 14, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Alessandra Benedetti)
Pope Francis talks to a man during a lunch, at the Vatican, Sunday 18th November 2018 in Vatican City. Pope Francis is offering several hundred poor people, homeless, migrants, unemployed a lunch on Sunday 18th November 2018 in Vatican City as he celebrates the World Day of the Poor (Photo by Massimo Valicchia)
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with the French President Emmanuel Macron during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on June 26, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican.
Pope Francis greets a group of nuns during the weekly audience in St. Peter's square on May 9, 2018, in Vatican City, Vatican. Addressing pilgrims in St Peter's Square for the weekly Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis made an appeal for peace in Syria, as the situation gets more complex in the Middle East. (Photo by Franco Origlia)
Pope Francis poses for a photo with a group of faithful from Brazil during his Weekly General Audience in St. Peter's Square. (Photo by Giuseppe Ciccia)
Pope Francis celebrates Ash Wednesday at the Santa Sabina Basilica on March 06, 2019 in Rome, Italy. Pope Francis celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass in the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome. As per tradition the ceremony started at the Basilica of St. Anselm where the Pope led a penitential procession to the nearby St. Sabina, marking the beginning Lent, the time of preparation for Holy Week. (Photo by Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Pope Francis greets a group of children during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on March 06, 2019 in Vatican City, Vatican. In a telegram, addressed to Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Alabama, the Pope expressed his condolences to victims of a tornado, which struck Alabama in the United States.
Pope Francis, flanked by cardinals and bishops, attends a closing Mass of 'The Protection Of Minors In The Church' meeting at the Regia Hall on February 24, 2019, in Vatican City, Vatican. The papal summit 'Protection of Minors in the Church', held in the Vatican from 21 to 24 February, brought together Presidents of Episcopal Conferences and those responsible for religious orders worldwide to discuss the crisis of abuse within the Catholic Church. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Zayed Sport City on February 5, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Pope Francis is on a historic three-day visit to the UAE, the first time a Pontiff has visited the Arabian peninsula.
Pope Francis meets Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on January 21, 2019, in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Presidential Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Pope Francis and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan attends the welcome ceremony at Presidential Palace on February 4, 2019, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
In 2013, American news magazine the Time named Pope Francis the Person of the Year, a prestigious title given to the one who “has done the most to influence the events of the year".
Victor Zorzin, rector of the School Maximo, Andres Swinnen, Teacher of the novices, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, province superior, Carlos Cravena, Minister of the School Maximo, and Hipolito Salvo, ex-provincial in Argentina.
Connections
Father: Mario José Bergoglio
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) with parents. Father Juan Bergoglio and mother Magarita Vasallo.
Mother: Regina Sívori
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) with parents. Father Juan Bergoglio and mother Magarita Vasallo.
(The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) is the long-awa...)
The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) is the long-awaited teaching of Pope Francis on the proclamation of the Gospel. Pope Francis is calling upon the Church and the world with encouragement to begin a new chapter in evangelization. This dynamic document is written in the plain, everyday language for which the pope has become famous.
Praise Be to You-Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home
(A gift from God and the common home of humanity, the eart...)
A gift from God and the common home of humanity, the earth is threatened by man's abuse of his freedom. In his encyclical Praise Be to You (Laudato Si'), Pope Francis challenges all people to praise and thank God for his glorious creation and to work together to safeguard her.
Pope Francis is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, the first to visit and hold papal mass in the Arabian Peninsula, and the first pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III.
Background
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on 17 December 1936 in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires. He was the eldest of five children of Mario José Bergoglio (1908–1959) and Regina María Sívori (1911–1981). Mario Bergoglio was an Italian immigrant accountant born in Portacomaro (Province of Asti) in Italy's Piedmont region. Mario José's family left Italy in 1929 to escape the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini. According to María Elena Bergoglio, the Pope's only living sibling, they did not emigrate for economic reasons.
Education
In the sixth grade, Bergoglio attended Wilfrid Barón de los Santos Ángeles, a school of the Salesians of Don Bosco, in Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires. He attended the technical secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen, named after a past President of Argentina, and graduated with a chemical technician's diploma. While living as a student in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis worked as a bouncer in a local bar to earn extra money.
Bergoglio found his vocation to the priesthood while he was on his way to celebrate the Spring Day. He passed by a church to go to confession, and was inspired by the priest. Bergoglio studied at the archdiocesan seminary, Inmaculada Concepción Seminary, in Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires, and, after three years, entered the Society of Jesus as a novice on 11 March 1958. As a Jesuit novice he studied humanities in Santiago, Chile.
In 1960, Bergoglio obtained a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo de San José in San Miguel, Buenos Aires Province. In 1967, Bergoglio finished his theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood on 13 December 1969, by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. He attended the Facultades de Filosofía y Teología de San Miguel (Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel), a seminary in San Miguel.
He continued his training between 1970 and 1971 at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain, and on 22 April 1973 made his final profession with the Jesuits.
From 1964 to 1965 Bergoglio taught literature and psychology at Immaculate Conception College in Santa Fé and in 1966 he taught the same subject at the Colegio del Salvatore in Buenos Aires.
On 13 December 1969 he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. Bergoglio completed his final stage of spiritual training as a Jesuit, tertianship, at Alcalá de Henares, Spain. He took the final fourth vow (obedience to the pope) in the Society of Jesus on 22 April 1973. Back in Argentina, he was novice master at Villa Barilari, San Miguel; professor at the Faculty of Theology of San Miguel; consultor to the Province of the Society of Jesus and also Rector of the Colegio Máximo of the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology.
On 31 July 1973 he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina, an office he held for six years. He then resumed his work in the university sector and from 1980 to 1986 served once again as Rector of the Colegio de San José, as well as parish priest, again in San Miguel. In March 1986 he went to Germany to finish his doctoral thesis; his superiors then sent him to the Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires and next to the Jesuit Church in the city of Córdoba as spiritual director and confessor.
It was Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who wanted him as a close collaborator. So, on 20 May 1992 Pope John Paul II appointed him titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires. On 27 May he received episcopal ordination from the Cardinal in the cathedral. He chose as his episcopal motto, miserando atque eligendo, and on his coat of arms inserted the ihs, the symbol of the Society of Jesus.
Bergoglio gave his first interview as a bishop to a parish newsletter, Estrellita de Belém. He was immediately appointed Episcopal Vicar of the Flores district and on 21 December 1993 was also entrusted with the office of Vicar General of the Archdiocese. Thus it came as no surprise when, on 3 June 1997, Bergoglio was raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Not even nine months had passed when, upon the death of Cardinal Quarracino, he succeeded him on 28 February 1998, as Archbishop, Primate of Argentina and Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who have no Ordinary of their own rite.
Three years later at the Consistory of 21 February 2001, John Paul II created him Cardinal, assigning him the title of San Roberto Bellarmino. He asked the faithful not to come to Rome to celebrate his creation as Cardinal but rather to donate to the poor what they would have spent on the journey. As Grand Chancellor of the Catholic University of Argentina, he is the author of the books: Meditaciones para religiosos (1982), Reflexiones sobre la vida apostólica (1992) and Reflexiones de esperanza (1992).
In October 2001 he was appointed General Relator to the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Episcopal Ministry. This task was entrusted to him at the last minute to replace Cardinal Edward Michael Egan, Archbishop of New York, who was obliged to stay in his homeland because of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. At the Synod he placed particular emphasis on “the prophetic mission of the bishop”, his being a “prophet of justice”, his duty to “preach ceaselessly” the social doctrine of the Church and also “to express an authentic judgement in matters of faith and morals”.
All the while Cardinal Bergoglio was becoming ever more popular in Latin America. Despite this, he never relaxed his sober approach or his strict lifestyle, which some have defined as almost “ascetic”. In this spirit of poverty, he declined to be appointed as President of the Argentine Bishops’ Conference in 2002, but three years later he was elected and then, in 2008, reconfirmed for a further three-year mandate. Meanwhile in April 2005 he took part in the Conclave in which Pope Benedict XVI was elected.
As Archbishop of Buenos Aires - a diocese with more than three million inhabitants - he conceived of a missionary project based on communion and evangelization. In September 2009 he launched the solidarity campaign for the bicentenary of the Independence of the country. Two hundred charitable agencies are to be set up by 2016. And on a continental scale, he expected much from the impact of the message of the Aparecida Conference in 2007, to the point of describing it as the “Evangelii Nuntiandi of Latin America”.
Until the beginning of the recent sede vacante, he was a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Clergy, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Pope Francis made his first international visit on July 22, 2013, when he arrived at the Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There, he was greeted by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in a welcome ceremony and later circulated in downtown Rio in order to be "close to the people."
In September 2013, Pope Francis called for others to join him in praying for peace in Syria. The pontiff held a special vigil in St. Peter's Square on September 7, which was attended by an estimated 100,000 people. According to the Catholic News Service, Francis told the crowd that "When man thinks only of himself... [and] permits himself to be captivated by the idols of dominion and power... , [t]hen the door opens to violence, indifference, and conflict."
In early December 2013, Pope Francis gave an "apostolic exhortation," an address calling for big changes in the Catholic Church, including rethinking long-held but antiquated customs. "I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting, and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security," he stated. "I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures."
During the summer of 2014, Pope Francis went on his first visit to Asia. He spent five days in South Korea in August. On his return trip from South Korea, Pope Francis discussed his own mortality with the press. "Two or three years and then I'll be off to my Father's house," he said, according to a report in The Guardian. He also suffered a personal loss around that same time after several members of his family were killed in a car accident in Argentina.
With his April 2015 papal bull of indiction, Misericordiae Vultus, Francis inaugurated a Special Jubilee Year of Mercy, to run from 8 December 2015, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the last Sunday before Advent and the Solemnity of the Feast of Christ the King of the Universe on 20 November 2016. The Holy Doors of the major basilicas of Rome (including the Great Door of St. Peter's) were opened, and special "Doors of Mercy" were opened at cathedrals and other major churches around the world, where the faithful can earn indulgences by fulfilling the usual conditions of prayer for the Pope's intentions, confession, and detachment from sin, and communion. During Lent of that year, special 24-hour penance services will be celebrated, and during the year, special qualified and experienced priests called "Missionaries of Mercy" will be available in every diocese to forgive even severe, special-case sins normally reserved to the Holy See's Apostolic Penitentiary.
In June 2015 Francis issued Laudato si’ (“Praise be to you”), the first encyclical of his papacy. Laudato si’ proclaimed that environmental degradation was “a moral issue” spurred by greed and unchecked capitalism, which caused human beings to lose sight of the relationships that bound them together and to neglect Earth, their “common home.” Three months after issuing Laudato si’, Francis made his first visit to the United States, where he became the first pope to address the U.S. Congress. He once again courted controversy by holding the first canonization mass in the U.S. in honour of Junípero Serra, an 18th-century Spanish missionary whose role in the colonization of the Americas had been criticized by indigenous-rights groups. In New York City, Francis addressed the UN General Assembly and urged the world’s leaders to promote peace. He concluded his tour in Philadelphia, with an address before the World Meeting of Families and an open-air Spanish-language mass. In February 2016 he and Kirill I, patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, held the first-ever meeting between the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches.
In April 2016 Francis issued his second exhortation, Amoris laetitia (“The Joy of Love”), a wide-ranging pronouncement on family issues. In it he urged priests and bishops to take a more welcoming, and less judgmental, attitude toward homosexuals, single parents, and the divorced who remarried but who had not obtained an annulment, indicating in the latter case that such Catholics might be permitted to receive Holy Communion through the guidance of a priest.
In November 2017, Pope Francis visited Myanmar amid a humanitarian crisis that had sparked the exodus of more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims from the country. The pope first met with powerful military General Min Aung Hlaing, who refuted reports of ethnic cleansing by claiming there was "no religious discrimination in Myanmar."
He then made a joint appearance with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to deliver a highly anticipated speech in which he called for tolerance, but also avoided using the delicate term "Rohingya" and stopped short of condemning the persecution, drawing criticism from those who wanted to see a more forceful stance. The Pope also met with other religious leaders, after which he headed to Bangladesh to show support for Rohingya refugees.
In January 2017, Pope Francis demanded the resignation of Matthew Festing, the 79th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The Pope's demand came as a response to Festing and Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke firing Baron Albrecht von Boeselager from his position in the Order of Malta. The Order, in May 2017, appointed a new leader in the person of Fra' Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto.
On 24 May 2017, Pope Francis met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vatican City, where they discussed the contributions of Catholics to the United States and to the world. They discussed issues of mutual concern, including how religious communities can combat human suffering in crisis regions, such as Syria, Libya, and ISIS-controlled territory. They also discussed terrorism and the radicalization of young people. The Vatican's secretary of state, Pietro Parolin, raised the issue of climate change and encouraged Trump to remain in the Paris Agreement.
In August 2018 Francis revised the catechism of the Catholic church to fully reject the death penalty. Formerly, capital punishment was permitted when it was seen as the only means of defending human lives against an unjust aggressor. The revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.” Long a vocal critic of the death penalty, Francis said that the church would work to abolish capital punishment worldwide.
In February 2019 Francis became the first pope ever to visit the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam, in a trip meant to promote religious fraternity and peace. In his three-day visit to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, he attended the Global Conference on Human Fraternity and met with Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb, the head of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque and one of the highest authorities in Sunni Islam. He also celebrated a papal mass attended by an estimated 180,000 people, many of whom were Christian immigrants, in what was the largest display of Christian worship in the country’s history.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio made history as the first non-European pope of the modern era, the first from Latin America, the first Jesuit, the first to assume the name Francis, and the first to visit and hold papal mass in the Arabian Peninsula.
In December 2013, both Time and The Advocate magazines named the Pontiff as their "Person of the Year" in praise and hopes of reforming the Roman Curia while hoping to change the Catholic Church's doctrine on various controversial issues. In addition, Esquire magazine named him as the "Best-dressed man" for 2013 for his simpler vestments often in tune with a modern simplistic design on sartorial fashion. Fortune magazine also ranked Pope Francis as number one in their list of 50 greatest leaders. On 5 November 2014, he was ranked by Forbes as the fourth most powerful person in the world and was the only non-political figure in the top ranking. In December 2016, Francis yet made Forbes's list of "The World's Most Powerful People", ranking fifth.
In early 2014, he became the first pontiff to grace the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine and in 2015, released a music album "Wake Up!" that has been classified as pop-rock.
Pope Francis was nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. He did not receive this honor, but he continued to devote his time to reaching out to Catholics around the world.
Liberation theology. Francis opposed the Marxist versions of liberation theology followed by the "'progressive' group of [Jesuit] theologians living out in base communities". As he wrote in the preface to a book on the Catholic Church in Latin America, Una apuesta por América Latina (A Commitment to Latin America) by Guzmán Carriquiry Lecour, the proponents of liberation theology were unable to reformulate it after the collapse of Marxism, and it thus became an anachronism. His theologian of reference was Juan Carlos Scannone, a fellow Jesuit who had developed a theology centered on the "religious devotion of the common people".
Before becoming Pope, Cardinal Bergoglio described liberation theology's preferential option for the poor as part of a long Christian tradition rooted in the Gospels. Bergoglio's opposition focused on the Montoneros, a terrorist group similar to the European Red Brigades that caused nearly 6,000 deaths. Montoneros claimed that they ascribed to liberation theology, and sought support from the Church. Bosca considers that Bergoglio's opposition to the liberation theology "wasn't opposition to liberation theology in itself or the option for the poor", but opposition to the possible official Catholic support to the Montoneros.
Ordination of women. Francis has often spoken about the importance of women in the Catholic Church. He considers that they have a special role in spreading the faith to their children and grandchildren. He also considers that, although the first witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus were women, their significance was ignored because in Jewish law, only males are credible witnesses.
Clergy. Francis has criticized the perceived hunger for power of some sectors of the curia, which come at the expense of a proper religious life. He thinks that gossip is a danger to the reputation of people, and that the presence of cliques within organizations is a threat to both the individual and the organization. Francis thinks that priests should be in contact with the people as much as possible and avoid isolation. He also suggests that priests should encourage people to be optimistic.
In response to the Catholic Church sexual abuse cases, Francis created the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. In the past, priests who committed abuses were removed by bishops, but bishops were rarely held accountable. This tribunal was created to prevent cover-ups of abuse cases; offenders would be dealt with by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Barbara Blaine, president of the organization Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, considered that it may not be effective.
On 20 August 2018, Pope Francis apologized in a 2,000 word letter after the release of a grand jury report confirming that over 1,000 children were sexually abused by "predator priests" in Pennsylvania for decades, often covered up by the Church.
Priestly celibacy. As a cardinal, Bergoglio's views regarding the celibacy of priests were recorded in the book On Heaven and Earth, a record of conversations conducted with Abraham Skorka, a Buenos Aires rabbi and rector of the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary. He says that celibacy is a matter of discipline rather than faith, and that tradition and experience would advise to keep it. He noted that the Byzantine, Ukrainian, Russian, and Greek Catholic Churches allow married men to be ordained priests, but not bishops. He said that many of those in Western Catholicism who are pushing for more discussion about the issue do so from a position of pragmatism, based on a loss of manpower.
Ecumenism with other Christians. In October 2013, during the above-mentioned interview with Eugenio Scalfari, Francis said: "I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God". In another interview with La Stampa, Pope Francis emphasized his commitment to ecumenism, stating: "For me, ecumenism is a priority. Today, we have the ecumenism of blood. In some countries they kill Christians because they wear a cross or have a Bible, and before killing them they don't ask if they're Anglicans, Lutherans, Catholics or Orthodox. The blood is mixed." During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis addressed the attendees of the John 17 Movement gathering opining that "Division is the work of the Father of Lies" and that he "knows that Christians are disciples of Christ: that they are one, that they are brothers! He doesn't care if they are Evangelicals, or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic... he doesn't care! They are Christians. And that blood (of martyrdom) unites. Today, dear brothers and sisters, we are living an 'ecumenism of blood'. This must encourage us to do what we are doing today: to pray, to dialogue together, to shorten the distance between us, to strengthen our bonds of brotherhood." During the 2016 Octave of Christian Unity, Pope Francis "asked forgiveness for the way Catholics had treated other Christian believers over the years, and also invited Catholics to pardon those who had persecuted them."
Interfaith dialogue. Bergoglio has written about his commitment to open and respectful interfaith dialogue as a way for all parties engaged in that dialogue to learn from one another. In the 2011 book that records his conversations with Rabbi Abraham Skorka, On Heaven and Earth, Bergoglio said: "Dialogue is born from an attitude of respect for the other person, from a conviction that the other person has something good to say. It assumes that there is room in the heart for the person's point of view, opinion, and proposal. Dialogue entails a cordial reception, not a prior condemnation. In order to dialogue it is necessary to know how to lower the defenses, open the doors of the house, and offer human warmth."
Shortly after his election, the pope called for more interreligious dialogue as a way of "building bridges" and establishing "true links of friendship between all people". He added that it was crucial "to intensify outreach to nonbelievers, so that the differences which divide and hurt us may never prevail". He said that his title of "pontiff" means "builder of bridges", and that it was his wish that "the dialogue between us should help to build bridges connecting all people, in such a way that everyone can see in the other not an enemy, not a rival, but a brother or sister to be welcomed and embraced."
Politics
Pope Francis played a key role in the talks toward restoring full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. The restoration was jointly announced by U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro on 17 December 2014. The headline in the Los Angeles Times on 19 December was "Bridge to Cuba via Vatican," with the further lead "In a rare and crucial role, Pope Francis helped keep U.S. talks with Havana on track and guided final deal." The pope, along with the Government of Canada, was a behind-the-scenes broker of the agreement, taking the role following President Obama's request during his visit to the pope in March 2014. The success of the negotiations was credited to Francis because "as a religious leader with the confidence of both sides, he was able to convince the Obama and Castro administrations that the other side would live up to the deal".
In May 2015, Pope Francis welcomed Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican. Several media outlets reported that Francis praised Abbas as "an angel of peace", though his actual words were the following: "The angel of peace destroys the evil spirit of war. I thought about you: may you be an angel of peace." The Vatican signed a treaty recognizing the state of Palestine. The Vatican issued statements concerning the hope that the peace talks could resume between Israel and Palestine. Abbas's visit was on the occasion of the canonization of two Palestinian nuns.
During the 2016 United States presidential election, Francis said of US President Donald Trump, "A person who only thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. That is not the gospel." Trump responded, "For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful." Federico Lombardi said that Francis' comments were not "a personal attack, nor an indication of who to vote for".
On 24 May 2017, Pope Francis met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Vatican City, where they discussed the contributions of Catholics to the United States and to the world. They discussed issues of mutual concern, including how religious communities can combat human suffering in crisis regions, such as Syria, Libya, and ISIS-controlled territory. They also discussed terrorism and the radicalization of young people. The Vatican's secretary of state, Pietro Parolin, raised the issue of climate change and encouraged Trump to remain in the Paris Agreement.
In February 2019, Pope Francis visited Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on the invitation of Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in a historic visit of the first pontiff to ever visit the Arabian Peninsula. Pope Francis became the first pope to hold a papal mass on the Arabian Peninsula to more than 120,000 attendees in the Zayed Sports City Stadium.
Views
Pope Francis said that the most powerful message of Jesus Christ is mercy. His motto, Miserando atque eligendo, is about Jesus's mercy towards sinners. The phrase is taken from a homily of Saint Bede, who commented that Jesus "saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: 'Follow me'".
Ecology. After his election Francis said, "Here too, it helps me to think of the name of Francis [of Assisi], who teaches us profound respect for the whole of creation and the protection of our environment, which all too often, instead of using for the good, we exploit greedily, to one another's detriment." At the University of Molise he described environmental concerns as a great contemporary challenge and voiced opposition to deforestation.
On 18 June 2015, Pope Francis issued a papal encyclical called Laudato si' on climate change, care for the environment, and sustainable development. The encyclical, although dated 24 May 2015, was officially made public on 18 June 2015. The encyclical sets apart the basic human needs and appetites. Francis considers that the former are small and non-negotiable, and that the latter are potentially unlimited.
As he prepared for the encyclical, Francis sponsored a Pontifical Academy of Sciences summit meeting in April 2015 that focused on the relationships connecting poverty, economic development, and climate change. The meeting included presentations and discussions by scientists, religious leaders, and economists. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, who is urging world leaders to approve a climate-change accord in Paris at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in December, delivered the keynote address.
Poverty. While the Pope has said that the greatest poverty is "the lack of Christ," and the "only one real kind of poverty" is "not living as children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ", Francis has also been very outspoken against material poverty. At a meeting of Latin American bishops in 2007, Bergoglio said that, despite the economic growth, poverty had not been reduced in the continent, and asked for a better income distribution. On 30 September 2009, Bergoglio spoke at a conference organized by the Argentina City Postgraduate School (EPOCA) at the Alvear Palace Hotel in which he quoted the 1992 "Documento de Santo Domingo" by the Latin American Episcopal Conference, saying "extreme poverty and unjust economic structures that cause great inequalities" are violations of human rights.
Pope Francis urged world leaders to prevent excessive monetary ambitions, which he said had become similar to an idolatry of money, and urged them to provide more welfare aid. Dealing with the Great Recession, the pope criticized unbridled capitalism, considering that it judged human beings purely by their ability to consume goods and made people miserable. He said that social inequality and increasing poverty is caused by neoliberalism, and preferred economic systems with a higher intervention by the state.
Pope Francis deplores modern slavery and, together with a diverse group of leaders from other religions, he signed a declaration promising to inspire action worldwide in an effort to eliminate slavery by 2020. Both Pope Francis and the declaration described slavery as a crime against humanity. During his new year mass in 2015 Francis pressed people from all cultures and religions to combat human trafficking and modern slavery according to their responsibilities. Francis said all human beings are brothers and sisters and all have a right to be free.
Abortion. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has been a vocal opponent of both the practice and legality of abortion. In May 2013, Francis unexpectedly participated in Italy's pro-life march in Rome, asking its participants to protect human life "from the moment of conception". Also, as Ireland (a traditionally very Catholic country) was preparing legislation to legalize abortion in limited cases, Francis sent a message to the Irish asking them to protect the lives of both the unborn and vulnerable people. Also in May 2013, during a Wednesday audience Francis officially blessed the pro-life march in Szczecin, Poland, one of Europe's largest pro-life events and, speaking in Italian, encouraged the Poles to defend the unborn. He maintained that human life should be respected all the way from conception to natural death.
At a September 2013 meeting with Catholic gynecologists, Francis condemned abortion saying that: "Every child that isn't born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus Christ, has the face of the Lord." He advised the gynecologists to invoke the conscience clause to refuse to perform abortions, if so requested.
During the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Francis "grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion", a provision which he extended indefinitely in his Apostolic Letter Misericordia et Misera issued on 20 November 2016. Francis appealed to all priests to grant forgiveness to women who had undergone an abortion, as well as anyone who had been involved in completing the procedure. While Francis reiterated that the sin of abortion (an act punishable with automatic excommunication) is "a grave sin", he affirmed that "there is no sin that God's mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart."
Kate D'Annunzio, of Rachel's Vineyard, a pro-life group which ministers to women who have experienced abortions, said that Francis had clarified that priests have the ability to both forgive abortions and welcome women back into the church, stating; "The Church has had the ability to forgive these women, but many of these women had difficulty forgiving themselves. This outreach by the Pope is saying 'Don't isolate yourselves, come back to the church.'" Jon O'Brien, the president of U.S. pro-choice Catholic dissident advocacy group Catholics for Choice, praised the pope's effort, and said "it showed that Francis understood the deep chasm that exists between ordinary Catholics – who turn to abortion and birth control with the same frequency as people of other faiths – and their clergy."
Contraception and family planning. The initial reports that Francis considered that the use of methods intended for contraception with the purpose of preventing disease might be permissible were disputed by others who said he was "unwaveringly orthodox on matters of sexual morality". Before becoming Pope he opposed the free distribution of contraceptives when it was introduced by the Kirchner government. Francis emphasized that contraception involves "destruction of the family through the privation of children." At the same time, Francis teaches that "responsible parenthood" is important, and suggested to have about three children in a family, and added that Christians do not need to breed in excess.
LDBT. Pope Francis opposes same-sex marriage, including the 2010 bill to introduce it in Argentina. As pope, Francis has repeatedly spoken about the need for the church to welcome and love all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. Speaking about gay people in 2013, he said that "the key is for the church to welcome, not exclude and show mercy, not condemnation." In July of that year, he said "If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him? The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this in a beautiful way, saying...: 'no one should marginalize these people for this, they must be integrated into society.'"
On 2 October 2016, Pope Francis spoke in favor of pastoral care for and including transgender Catholics in the church, stating priests should "accompany them spiritually" and that they should never be turned away, even if they have undergone gender transition and sex-reassignment operations. He spoke out against "Gender Theory", that is the concept that gender identity is not definite and can change, being taught in schools. Francis once held an audience with a Spanish transgender man, who had transitioned from female to male, and his wife.
Capital punishment and life imprisonment. In 2014, Pope Francis proposed the abolition of both capital punishment and life imprisonment in a meeting with representatives of the International Association of Penal Law, suggesting that states should find another way to protect people from aggression, and includes deaths caused by police brutality and extrajudicial punishment. He cited the "traditional teaching of the church" that accepted the death penalty in cases when there are no other options to protect the people (in line with the Catechism as adapted by John Paul II in 1995), but considered that nowadays such cases may be minimal or even nonexistent. He also stated that life imprisonment, recently removed from the Vatican penal code, was just a variation of the death penalty. In 2018, he changed the Catechism of the Catholic Church to condemn the death penalty "under all circumstances".
Science. Pope Francis showed himself to be progressive on several scientific issues. He told the members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that he supported the Big Bang theory and evolution. According to The Independent newspaper, Pope Francis said that "The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it." He also said that evolution "is not inconsistent with the notion of creation."
Quotations:
"Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is undermining the Church’s credibility."
"The Internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity, this is something truly good, a gift from God."
"I urge you to work together in promoting a true, worldwide ethical mobilization which, beyond all differences of religious or political convictions, will spread and put into practice a shared ideal of fraternity and solidarity, especially with regard to the poorest and those most excluded."
"The human heart desires joy. We all desire joy, every family, every people aspires to happiness. But what is the joy that the Christian is called to live out and bear witness to? It is the joy that comes from the closeness of God, from his presence in our life. From the moment Jesus entered into history, with his birth in Bethlehem, humanity received the seed of the Kingdom of God, like the soil receives the seed, the promise of a future harvest."
"Jesus’ reminder urges each of us never to stop at the surface of things, especially when we have a person before us. We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart in order to see how much generosity everyone is capable of."
"Mr. President, together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination."
"In a few moments I will have the joy of opening the Holy Door of Mercy. We carry out this act, so simple yet so highly symbolic, in the light of the word of God which we have just heard. That word highlights the primacy of grace."
"The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history."
"Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities."
"God’s joy is to forgive. God’s being is mercy."
"Only a merciful Church shines!"
"What is scandal? Scandal is saying one thing and doing another; it is a double life, a double life."
"Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us. Sometimes after a meeting I want to arrange another one because new ideas are born and I discover new needs. This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good."
"The Son of God became incarnate to infuse into the human soul the feeling of brotherhood. All are brothers and all children of God."
"[Mystics] have been fundamental [to the church]. A religion without mystics is a philosophy."
"[St. Francis] is great because he is everything. He is a man who wants to do things, wants to build, he founded an order and its rules, he is an itinerant and a missionary, a poet and a prophet, he is mystical. He found evil in himself and rooted it out. He loved nature, animals, the blade of grass on the lawn and the birds flying in the sky. But above all he loved people, children, old people, women. He is the most shining example of that agape we talked about earlier."
"I say that politics is the most important of the civil activities and has its own field of action, which is not that of religion."
"I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God, there is God and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being."
"Transcendence remains because that light, all in everything, transcends the universe and the species it inhabits at this stage."
Personality
Bergoglio chose his papal name due to the humility and austerity associated with St. Francis of Assisi and he really lives up to his reputation. While Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he lived in a simple apartment and rode the bus. When he was elected the Pope, he flew to Rome in economy class.
Francis turns out to have a marked taste for classical music, notably Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. All of those composers wrote liturgical music - Francis especially likes Bach's Saint Matthew Passion and Mozart's Mass in C Minor. Wagner, for Francis, is a little heavy: "I like to listen to him, but not all the time." His favorite recording of the Ring Cycle is by Wilhelm Furtwängler, a relatively safe choice. Yet Francis also, surprisingly, has a deep appreciation for Parsifal - Wagner's final opera, which stages a Christian rite in quasi-Buddhist terms and which Nietzsche famously called blasphemous.
Pope Francis is a well-known soccer fan. His favorite team is San Lorenzo de Almagro, one of the most important teams in Argentina, and the Pope still keeps his associate membership card for the team. Pope Francis hasn't watched television since June 15th, 1990, after making a pledge to the Virgin Mary promising that he would abstain from it. As a result, he's rarely seen San Lorenzo play, opting to keep up with the team via newspaper reports
As a young man, one of Pope Francis' favourite hobbies was to go dancing with friends. His favorite dance is tango.
Physical Characteristics:
At the age of 21, Pope Francis suffered from life-threatening pneumonia and developed three cysts. Part of his lung was excised to help combat the illness.
Quotes from others about the person
He talks about Christ’s love like a man who has found something wondrous and wants nothing more than to share it." - Howard Chua-Eoan and Elizabeth Dias, in "Pope Francis, The People’s Pope".
"He’s offering very universal ideas - not closing the door and saying you have to be a Catholic in order for good things to happen. This is the kind of world leader that we need in a position of power that the pope has if we want hope for a more universal community." - Roy Speckhardt
"When the pope speaks about "change," he is not talking about modest reforms or tinkering around the edges. He is talking about radical changes as to how the global economy functions, and in how we relate to the planet and to each other. Most importantly, he understands the urgency of the moment. We need real change now." - Bernie Sanders
"If the Church becomes like him and becomes what he wants it to be, it will be an epochal change." - Eugenio Scalfari
Interests
reading, listening to music
Philosophers & Thinkers
Martin Luther King
Politicians
Abraham Lincoln
Writers
Robert Hugh Benson, Ethel Mannin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Romano Guardini, Henri de Lubac, Gerard Manley Hopkins
Artists
Caravaggio, Marc Chagall
Sport & Clubs
soccer, San Lorenzo de Almagro
Athletes
Ángel Zubieta, Rene Pontoni, Rinaldo Martino
Music & Bands
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Giacomo Puccini, Carlos Gardel, Ada Falcon
Connections
Being a Catholic priest, Bergoglio can't marry.
Father:
Mario José Bergoglio
Mario José Bergoglio was an Italian immigrant accountant born in Portacomaro (Province of Asti) in Italy's Piedmont region.
Mother:
Regina Sívori
Regina Sívori was a housewife born in Buenos Aires to a family of northern Italian (Piedmontese-Genoese) origin.
Sister:
María Elena Bergoglio
Brother:
Alberto Horacio Bergoglio
Brother:
Oscar Adrián Bergoglio
Sister:
Marta Regina Bergoglio
Predecessor:
Joseph Ratzinger
Pope Benedict XVI is a senior prelate of the Catholic Church who served as its head and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Benedict's election as pope occurred in the 2005 papal conclave that followed the death of Pope John Paul II. Benedict chose to be known by the title "Pope Emeritus" upon his resignation.
On Friday, May 6, in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the International Charlemagne Prize in 2016 was awarded to His Holiness Pope Francis.
On Friday, May 6, in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the International Charlemagne Prize in 2016 was awarded to His Holiness Pope Francis.