Pope Francis

Bio:
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Florence, Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936) was the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. Francis was elected pope on March 13, 2013, which was the second day of the 2013 papal conclave, when he took the papal name Francis. Before his seminary studies in Buenos Aires, when he was still Jorge, the Pope worked as both a chemical technician and nightclub bouncer. He became ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and went onto be Argentina’s provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was particularly known for his humility, as well as his somewhat progressive views. Francis died on April 21, 2025.

Best Known For:
Pope Francis was best known for serving as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.

Personal Life:
Jorge was the eldest of five children. He was born to an Italian immigrant accountant, Mario Jose Bergoglio, and his wife, Regina Maria Sivori, a housewife. When he was 21, he fell ill with a life-threateining bout of pneumonia and three cysts. Shortly after, he had part of his lung removed. He had a passion for tango dancing and the traditional music of Argentina.