Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, marked several historic milestones upon his election in 2013. He became the first Pope from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit to assume the role—an order once viewed with suspicion by the Vatican.
Though in his seventies at the time, Francis was seen as a unifying choice, balancing conservative doctrine with progressive views on social justice. His papacy was defined by humility; he declined the traditional papal limousine, choosing instead to ride with other cardinals, and consistently spoke out for the marginalized and against societal inequality.
