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Pope Francis266th Pope since March 13, 2013
Date of Birth: 17.12.1936
Country:  Argentina |
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Biography of Pope Francis
Pope Francis I, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the 266th and current head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City State. He was elected on March 13, 2013.
Early Life and Education
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was one of five children of Mario José Bergoglio, a railroad worker, and Regina María Sívori, a homemaker. In his youth, he was a fan of the football club 'San Lorenzo de Almagro', a passion he still holds to this day.
After obtaining a degree in chemical engineering, Bergoglio decided to pursue a religious vocation. He began his religious studies and was ordained as a priest in 1969. Despite facing health challenges such as pneumonia and the removal of part of his lung, he continued his academic pursuits and obtained a licentiate in philosophy from Colegio Máximo San José in 1960. He also taught literature and philosophy in different colleges from 1964 to 1966.
After his ordination, Bergoglio became a professor at the theological faculty in Buenos Aires. From 1980 to 1986, he served as the rector of the seminary in San Miguel. He completed his doctoral dissertation in Frankfurt, Germany, before returning to Argentina to serve in the Jesuit community in Córdoba.
Episcopal Career
Bergoglio was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992. After the death of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on February 28, 1998, Jorge Mario became the new archbishop of Buenos Aires. During his time as archbishop, he established new parishes and founded a commission for divorces.
In 2001, Pope John Paul II elevated Bergoglio to the rank of cardinal. Despite being considered a strong candidate for the papacy after John Paul II's death, he was not elected. Instead, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. However, Bergoglio was chosen for the post-synodal council during the Synod of Bishops in 2005. He served as the head of the Argentine Episcopal Conference for three years, being reelected in 2008.
Papacy
Following Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, a conclave was held in 2013, and Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as the new pope. On the day of his election, he declined the papal limousine and traveled to his hotel by bus. Choosing the papal name Francis, he became the first pope in history to use the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order known for his devotion to the poor.
As pope, Francis has taken a stand against same-sex marriages and gay adoptions, while emphasizing the importance of showing tolerance towards sexual minorities. He has also distanced himself from the "theology of liberation." Francis emphasizes the rejection of spiritual vanity and highlights the importance of faith in Jesus Christ.
Notably, Pope Francis I is the first pope from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, the first Jesuit pope, and the first non-European pope since Gregory III.
