Pope Francis

About

Pope Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17th December 1936, is the 266th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and prior to his election as Pope, he served as a priest and then Archbishop of Buenos Aires. On 13th March 2013, following the resignation of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, he was elected as the Pope. Known for his humility and liberal approach, he eschews the lavish Papal lifestyle and champions causes such as climate change, refugees, and the poor. He is also the first Pope belonging to the Society of Jesus, popularly known as Jesuits.

Associated With

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is not typically associated with industries like acting, dating, or media collaboration in the way a celebrity might be. Instead, his interactions chiefly embody his role as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. However, he has engaged in dialogue with various world leaders, noted personalities, and public figures seeking to address global issues. Pope Francis has also featured in global media through documentaries and interviews. Notably, in 2020, he participated in a documentary film "Francesco," directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, which focused on his life and teachings. It should be noted that such interactions are aligned with his papal duties rather than personal endeavors or collaborations.

Career Highlights

• Ordained as a Jesuit Priest (1969): After joining the Society of Jesus in 1958, Francis was ordained as a priest after more than ten years of religious and intellectual formation.
• Head of the Jesuit Province of Argentina (1973): Four years after his priesthood, Pope Francis was appointed the Provincial Superior of the Jesuits in Argentina, a position he held for six years.
• Rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980): Francis served as the rector, effectively the head, of his alma mater college, holding the position for six years.
• Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires (1992): Pope John Paul II appointed Francis as the Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, marking his ascension into the episcopal rank.
• Co-adjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires (1997): Five years later, Francis was appointed Co-adjutor Archbishop, positioning him as the future successor of the then Archbishop, Cardinal Antonio Quarracino.
• Archbishop of Buenos Aires (1998): He officially became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires after Cardinal Quarracino's death.
• Created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II (2001): Francis was included in the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II, granting him the title of Cardinal-Priest of San Roberto Bellarmino, a church in Rome.
• President of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina (2005-2011): He was elected by his brother bishops in Argentina to serve as President of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina, a position he held for two terms.
• Elected as Pope (2013): In one of the most important highlights of his career, Francis was elected as the Pope by a conclave of Cardinals, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI. He became the first Latin American Pope, the first non-European Pope in over 1200 years and the first Jesuit to hold the position.
• Published Encyclicals like Lumen Fidei (2013) and Laudato si' (2015): In his papacy, Francis produced several significant documents. Two of these, Lumen Fidei and Laudato si', have left a deep impact on the global Catholic community. The latter in particular drew attention to the urgency of and Christian response to ecological issues.
• Synods on Family (2014 and 2015): Pope Francis convened and presided over two synods on family which ultimately resulted in the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, a significant document that blends the Church’s teachings and pastoral care on the family.
• Proclamation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2015-2016): He declared and led a special Jubilee Year of Mercy, where Catholics worldwide were encouraged to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
• Peace mediations: Pope Francis has variously been involved in global peace mediationA form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) where a neutral third party, the mediator, assists pa..., including helping to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba in 2014, and aiding in a peace deal in Colombia in 2016.
• These are some significant milestones and highlights in Pope Francis's career.

Notable Awards

• Pope Francis has received several notable awards and recognitions, including:
• Time's Person of the Year: Pope Francis was named Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2013. He was credited with shifting the discourse of the Catholic Church to issues of inequality and poverty.
• Charlemagne Prize: In 2016, Pope Francis was awarded the Charlemagne Prize by the German city of Aachen for his service to European unity.
• PETA's Person of the Year: In 2015, Pope Francis was named PETA’s Person of the Year for his call for kindness to animals.
• Honorary Harlem Globetrotter: Pope Francis was made an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team in 2015.
• ‘Nostra Aetate’ Award: In 2015, Pope Francis was presented the ‘Nostra Aetate’ Award by the Council of the Religious Institutions of the Holy Land.
• However, as the Pope, his mission lies in spiritual leadership and service to the world's Catholic population, not in winning awards or recognition. These recognitions testify to his influence and the global impact of his leadership.

FAQs

What Is the Most Popular Pope Francis Movie/TV Show?

"The Two Popes" is arguably the most popular movie associated with Pope Francis. Released in 2019, the film is a biographical dramaA genre that focuses on character development and an emotional narrative, often exploring complex re... directed by Fernando Meirelles, featuring actors Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis and Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI. Based on true events, it tells the story of Pope Benedict's surprising decision to resign from his position and the subsequent ascendancy of Pope Francis, who became the first Jesuit Pope, the first from the Americas, and the first from the Southern hemisphere. The movie was highly acclaimed and earned several award nominations, highlighting its popularity.

How Did Pope Francis Get Famous?

Pope Francis gained fame primarily due to his ascension to the position of the Pope in 2013, making him the leader of the Roman Catholic Church worldwide. Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his humble beginnings, distinctive compassion, commitment to social justice, and his firsts in papacy (first Pope from the Americas, first from the Southern Hemisphere, and first non-European Pope in over 1,200 years) have contributed to his fame. His open-minded stance on various socio-political issues such as climate change, poverty, and refugee crisis – issues not typically addressed by his predecessors – also significantly elevated his status and popularity on an international scale.