Pope Francis’ Life in Photos in 32 Stunning Images
From his childhood in Argentina to his reign as pope, take a look back at the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
Pope Francis made history when he was elected pope in 2013. Not only was he the first Jesuit pope, he was the first pope from South America—the first pope from the Americas, in fact—and the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere. He was also just the 11th non-European pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Italian immigrants in Argentina, Pope Francis was ordained as a priest in 1969 and made a cardinal in 2001. He served as pope for more than 12 years and advocated on behalf of the world’s poor, immigrants, and the environment, among other causes. When asked what brings him hope the year before he died, Pope Francis replied:
“Everything. You see tragedies, but you also see so many beautiful things. You see heroic mothers, heroic men, men who have hopes and dreams, women who look to the future? That gives me a lot of hope. People want to live. People forge ahead. And people are fundamentally good. We are all fundamentally good. Sometimes we are a little mischievous, sinners, but the heart is good.”
Here are the best photos of Pope Francis throughout his life.
Baptism Certificate
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was baptized later that month.
Francis’ Parents
Francis was the son of Italian immigrants, Regina Maria Sivori and Mario Jose Francisco, pictured here on their wedding day
Early Years
He’s pictured here, left, with his sister. Pope Francis was the eldest of five children.
School Picture
Pope Francis attended Wilfrid Barón de los Santos Ángeles and then Escuela Técnica Industrial Nº 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen.
Elementary School Days
In this undated collect photograph (courtesy of the Jesuit General Curia in Rome), a young Jorge Bergoglio (fourth from left, third row) poses for a group picture at his primary school in Buenos Aires.
Seminary Dorm Room
At age 21, he decided to join the Catholic Seminary in Villa Devoto, then he went to Colegio Máximo San José. Pictured here is the bedroom where Pope Francis lived while studying to become a priest.
Entering the Priesthood
He was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969.
Jorge With His Parents on Ordination Day
Francis was ordained by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano.
Parents and Siblings
This undated photograph shows a young Pope Francis, then Jorge Bergoglio, with his family. Back row, from left: his brother Alberto Horacio, Jorge himself, brother Oscar Adrian, and sister Marta Regina. Front row, from left: his sister Maria Elena, mother Regina, and father Mario.
Priesthood Headshot
According to his official Vatican biography, after Francis was ordained, “he was novice master at Villa Barilari, San Miguel; professor at the Faculty of Theology of San Miguel; consultor to the Province of the Society of Jesus and also Rector of the Colegio Máximo of the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology.”
Maternal Family
Another family photograph, featuring the maternal family of Pope Francis. Back row, from left: his uncle Oscar Adrian Sivori, his mother Regina Maria Sivori, and aunt Catalina Ester Sivori de Picchi. Front row, from left: his uncle Vicente Francisco Sivori, grandfather Francisco Sivori Sturla, grandmother Maria de Gogna Sivori, and uncle Juan Luis Sivori.
Seminary Years
Pope Francis is at center in this photograph with his colleagues around 1976.
Mass
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, left, attends Mass with the Jesuit superior general Pedro Arrupe, right.
Giving a Sermon
After several years in the priesthood, Francis was promoted within the organization. He became titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires in May 1992. Nearly six years later, he became archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Appointed Cardinal
In 2001, Pope John Paul II named Jorge Bergoglio as a cardinal during a consistory in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
Cardinal Years
At the time, Francis was one of ten new Cardinals named in Latin America.
In Vatican City
From 2005 until 2011, Francis served as president of the Bishops’ Conference of Argentina.
A Soccer Fan
Jorge Bergoglio pictured at the the San Lorenzo Futbol Club, in Buenos Aires
Remembering Pope John Paul II
Cardinal Bergoglio takes part in a holy mass in Buenos Aires following the death of Pope John Paul II in April 2005. Bergoglio reportedly received the second-most votes in the ensuing papal conclave.
A Man of the People
Cardinal Bergoglio takes the subway as he heads to the celebration of the traditional Tedeum mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.
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