Spanish
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Buenos Aires, December 17, 1936 – Vatican City, April 21, 2025), known as Pope Francis, was the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church. His election in 2013 marked a milestone: he was the first pope from America, the first Jesuit, the first non-European in over 1,200 years, and the first to adopt the name Francis, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Early life and religious vocation of Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Son of Italian immigrants, he grew up in a Catholic family in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Flores. He graduated as a chemical technician before entering the seminary. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1958, and trained in Chile and Argentina. He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969. During the Argentine dictatorship, he intervened to save political persecutees and denounced the abuses of the military regime.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Bishop, Archbishop, and Cardinal
He was consecrated as auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, and in 1998 he assumed as archbishop and primate of Argentina. In 2001 he was created a cardinal by John Paul II. He presided over the Argentine Episcopal Conference and stood out for his humility, austere life and closeness to the poor, earning him the nickname "the bishop of the poor".
Conclave of 2013 and Election as Pope
Following the resignation of Benedict XVI, he was elected pope on March 13, 2013. When he appeared before the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, he asked for prayers for him and showed an approachable and humble style. He was the first pope to use the name Francis, expressing his desire for a poor Church and for the poor.
Titles and treatments
His official title was: His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the servants of God. In 2024 he restored the title of Patriarch of the West.
Beginnings of the pontificate
His pontificate formally began on March 19, 2013, in a ceremony attended by delegations from over 130 countries. From his first days he marked differences: he rejected luxurious ornaments, used a silver cross and common black shoes. He asked Argentinians not to travel to Rome, but to help the poor in their country.
Principales reformas y gestos pastorales
Francisco led profound reforms in the Roman Curia, including:
- Creation of the Council of Cardinals.
- Reform of the Vatican's financial structure.
- Institution of new dicasteries such as the one for Integral Human Development.
- Promulgation of the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium in 2022.
He made unprecedented gestures such as washing the feet of inmates and celebrating mass in reformatories. His focus on mercy, social justice, and welcoming the excluded gained him worldwide popularity.
Synods and pastoral reforms
He convened the Extraordinary Synod of 2014 on the family, addressing sensitive issues such as homosexual unions, divorce, and new family models. He promoted pastoral discernment without changing the central doctrine.
Escritos
Before the pontificate:
- Meditations for Religious (1982)
- Reflections on Apostolic Life
- Reflections of Hope (1992)
- Dialogues between John Paul II and Fidel Castro (1998)
- Educate: Demand and Passion (2003)
- Putting the Homeland on Your Shoulder (2004)
- The Nation to Be Built (2005)
- Corruption and Sin (2006)
- On the Accusation of Oneself (2006)
- True Power is Service (2007)
- On Heaven and Earth, with Abraham Skorka (2010)
- Open Mind, Believing Heart (2012)
During the pontificate:
- Lumen fidei (2013)
- Evangelii gaudium (2013)
- Laudato si’ (2015)
- El nombre de Dios es Misericordia (2016)
- Amoris laetitia (2016)
- Vultum Dei quaerere (2016)
- Gaudete et exsultate (2018)
- Christus vivit (2019)
- Querida Amazonia (2020)
- Fratelli tutti (2020)
- Praedicate Evangelium (2022)
- De los pobres al Papa, del Papa al mundo (2022)
- Laudate Deum (2023)
- C’est la confiance (2023)
- Vida: Mi historia a través de la historia (2024)
- Dilexit nos (2024)
- Esperanza. La autobiografía (2025)
Public image
The media frequently portrayed Pope Francis as a progressive and moderate leader. His public image was marked by gestures of humility, closeness, and autonomy in the face of the Vatican bureaucracy. He often used landlines and never had a computer or cell phone. In 2013, he was chosen "Person of the Year" by Time magazine and, in 2014, he was on the cover of Rolling Stone. In 2018, Forbes placed him among the most powerful people in the world.
He was considered for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. He kept the @Pontifex account active on Twitter and in 2016 created an Instagram account, breaking the record for followers in less than 12 hours. In 2024, he was the first pope to visit the Venice Biennale. His autobiography Esperanza. La autobiografía (2025) was described as a historic publication for being the first written by a pope in office.
In popular culture
Documentaries: The Pope of the Americas (2013), The Pope of the End of the World (2013), Francis, a Pope Among the People (2015), Amen. Francisco Responds (Disney+, 2023), among others.
Movies and series: Francisco: El padre Jorge (2015), Chiamatemi Francesco (2015), El Papa Francisco: un hombre de palabra (2018), The Two Popes (2019), Francesco (2020), Llámame Francisco (2016).
Music: Wake Up! (2015), album with speeches and prayers of the pope.
Press: Il mio papa (2014), magazine dedicated to his figure.
Distinctions and decorations of Pope Francis
Vatican: Grand Master of papal orders such as the Supreme Order of Christ and the Order of Saint Gregory the Great.
International:
- Grand Collar of the Condor of the Andes (Bolivia, 2015)
- Order of Merit Luis Espinal Camps (Bolivia, 2015)
- Order of the Smile (Poland, 2016)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (USA, 2025)
- Charlemagne Prize (2016)
Legacy of Pope Francis
Promoter of interreligious dialogue, defender of migrants, the environment (Laudato Si’), and the poor. He renewed the image of the papacy with closeness and direct language. He was on the cover of Time and Rolling Stone and considered one of the most influential leaders of the 21st century.
Death of Pope Francis
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025 at the age of 88 in the Santa Marta residence of the Vatican. His body was laid in repose in St. Peter's Basilica and buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. His legacy as "the pope of the poor" and reformer of the Church endures in history.
