Pope Francis

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have chosen as their new pope a man from almost "the end of the world" - the first non-European pontiff of the modern era and the first-ever member of the Jesuit order.

The new pope, Jorge Bergogolio, who served as archbishop of Buenos Aires, adopted the name Francis shortly after being elected by cardinals. It is the first time this name is used by a pope.

The new pope, revealed himself to the world from a balcony at the Vatican today more than an hour after white smoke poured from the chimney above the Sistine chapel.

Popes in the 20th and 21st centuries

Leo XIII (1878-1903)


Pius X (1903-1914)


Benedict XV (1914-1922)


Pius XI (1922-1939)


Pius XII (1939-1958)


John XXIII (1958-1963)


Paul VI (1963-1978)


John PauI I (1978)


John Paul II (1978-2005)


Benedict XVI (2005-2013)


Francis (2013- )



References:

Duffy. Eamon. Saints and Sinners. A History of the Popes. Yale University Press, 1997

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/13/world/europe/vatican-pope-selection/index.html