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Francis: The first non-European Pope since Pope Gregory III, a Syrian, in 731
Kampala- On March 13, 2013, when the white smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican and Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio emerged from the window as the new pope, history was made.
The cardinal from Argentina did not only become the first pope to be born outside Europe since pope Gregory, (a Syrian) in the year 731, but actually he was the first pope ever from the Southern hemisphere and the first Jesuit Pope, an ancient and fiercely independent Catholic order that has not always enjoyed the best relationship with Rome.
Of the 266 popes, only 38 have been members of Catholic religious orders, (not from the mainstream catholic church) with the Benedicts dominating at 18, Augustinians (6), Dominicans (5), Franciscans (5), Cistercians (2), Theatrines (1) and Jesuits (1).
The Jesuit order was formed by Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish soldier turned priest in 1534.
The Spanish’s first six students took vows of poverty and chastity and made plans to work for the conversion of Muslims. Little wonder then that Pope Francis has been known to have special consideration for the poor and shunning a lavish lifestyle.
He is known for having a humble approach to the papacy less formal than his predecessors.
For instance, right from the first day when he was elected pope, the new pontiff chose to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the papal apartment of the Apostolic palace used many past popes.
This makes him the first pope since Pius X (1903-1914) to live outside the papal apartment. Due to his Jesuit aesthetic, Francis is known for favouring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, including refusing the tradition papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring and keeping the same pectoral cross he had when he was a cardinal.
That evening in 2013 Cardinal Bergoglio was elected pope in the fifth ballot. His election though was not a big surprise to some observers.
It should be recalled that after the death of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Bergoglio participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Benedict XVI.
The Vatican accredited media reported Bergoglio was the front-runner in that conclave and main challenger to Cardinal Ratzinger.
During the election, Cardinal Bergoglio was in close contention until he made an emotional plea that the cardinals should not vote for him. According to one Italian magazine, the Argentinian cardinal made this request to prevent the conclave from delaying too much in the election of a pope.
Bergoglio becomes Jesuit
Bergoglio studied at the Archdiocese seminary of Immaculada Concepcion in Villa Devoto in Buenos Aires. Three years later he entered the society of Jesus as a novice on March 11, 1958.
Bergoglio has admitted that as a young seminarian, he had a crush on a girl he met and briefly doubted about continuing the religious career.
At the conclusion of his novitiate in the society of Jesus he officially became a Jesuit on March 12, 1960. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires and ordained on June 27, 1992, during a ceremony where cardinal Antonio Quarracino of Buenos Aires served as the principal consecrator.
The following year, on Uganda Martyrs day, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and upon Cardinal Quarracino’s death on February 28, 1998 he became the metropolitan Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
