Pope Francis - the first Pope of the Americas
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Argentina to Italian immigrants on December 17, 1936. He was ordained in 1969, and previously served as the Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Did you know?
- Pope Francis graduated as a chemical technician prior to entering the seminary
- He taught psychology and literature at two different colleges
- He finished his graduate thesis in Germany in 1986
- When he became Cardinal, he requested that faithful did not travel to Rome to celebrate, but instead donate to the poor
- The Pope has authored three books
- He lives very simply, even as Pope, inhabiting a small apartment and cooking his own meals
- He was elected as Pope on March 13, 2013