Pope Francis

December 17, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, was born on December 17, 1936, and is the Bishop of Rome. He is, as such, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State since his 2013 election. Today is the Pope’s birthday, and we are going to celebrate him right here.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Nickname:

Pope Francis

Birth date:

December 17, 1936

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Sagittarius

Height:

5' 7"

Net Worth:

$16 million

Background

Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, was born in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, to parents Mario José Bergoglio, an Italian immigrant accountant, and Regina María Sívori, a housewife. After finishing junior school, Bergoglio attended the technical secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen, where he graduated with a chemical technician’s diploma. He later worked in the food section of Hickethier-Bachmann Laboratory, as well as worked as a bar bouncer and as a janitor, sweeping floors.

After studying further at the archdiocesan seminary, Inmaculada Concepción Seminary, in Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires, Bergoglio entered the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1958. In 1969, he was ordained as a Catholic priest, and from 1973 to 1979 was the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina. In 1998, he became the archbishop of Buenos Aires, and later in 2001, was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis by a papal conclave.

During his papacy, Bergoglio has been known for his less formal approach to the role of the Bishop of Rome, as well as his modesty, international fame, regard for the poor, and his devotion to interreligious dialogue. He has also been honored and awarded for various causes, such as a canter in the Philippines named after himself, The Pope Francis Center for the Poor, and being granted Person of the Year by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Career timeline

1958

The Society of Jesus

Bergoglio enters the Society of Jesus as a novice.

1998

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires

Bergoglio becomes the Archbishop of Buenos Aries.

2001

The Title Bump

Bergoglio is named a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.

2013

The Election As Pope

Bergoglio is elected as Pope Francis by a papal conclave. He was the first the first Jesuit pope.

2015

In The Year Of Mercy

Pope Francis inaugurated a 'year of mercy'. A year of remission of sins, debts, and universal pardon.

2020

COVID-19

During the pandemic, Pope Francis urges the faithful not to forget the poor during the time of crisis

February 2022

Love During War

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis Francis, in what many describe as an "unprecedented move" visits the Russian embassy in Rome, and states his "sorrow" at president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's situation.

26 April 2023

Women in the Church

Pope Francis announces the inclusion of women the Ordinary Assembly, making this the first time women could vote in any Catholic Synod of Bishops.

Why We Love Pope Francis

He has empowered women
Bergoglio has changed the Catholic Church laws to include women as Bible readers at Mass, serving at the altar, as well as distributing communion. This has allowed bishops to institute women into the ministries of acolyte and lector.
He advocates for action against climate change
Bergoglio is a huge advocate for climate change. He has asked the people of the world to take swift and unified global action against environmental degradation and global warming. He has criticised those who "deny, conceal, gloss over or relativise the issue", stating that you cannot deny the human cause of climate change.
He supports the L.G.B.T.
Bergoglio has become very supportive of the L.B.G.T. community. He has also expressed that parents of gay children should support their children instead of condemning them. He recently said it may be possible to bless same-sex unions.

5 Surprising Facts

His Pope Francis name
‘Francis’ was chosen as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
He suffered a deadly disease
Bergoglio suffered from life-threatening pneumonia and three cysts and had part of a lung excised.
He has a favorite football club
Bergoglio is a lifelong fan of San Lorenzo de Almagro football club.
He was portrayed in a film
In the film “The Two Popes,” Bergoglio was portrayed by actor Jonathan Pryce.
He is a writer
Bergoglio has written several books, encyclicals, and other scripts.