Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents, is the 266th pope of the Catholic Church since his election on 13 March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and sovereign of Vatican City State. The first pope from the Americas, the first from South America, and the first Jesuit pope, he selected his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, symbolizing his commitment to poverty, humility, and environmental stewardship. Before his papacy, Bergoglio joined the Jesuits in 1958, was ordained a priest in 1969, served as provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina from 1973 to 1979, became auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, coadjutor archbishop in 1997, and full archbishop in 1998. He was created cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001 and participated in the 2005 conclave that elected Benedict XVI. He declined the presidency of the Argentine Bishops’ Conference in 2002 but later served from 2005 to 2011. As pope, Francis has emphasized mercy, social justice, care for migrants and the poor, and climate action, notably through his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’. Known for his ascetic lifestyle—rejecting papal luxuries and living modestly—he has pushed for Church reforms, including addressing clerical sexual abuse, financial transparency, and greater inclusion of divorced Catholics and LGBTQ+ individuals, though criticized by conservatives for perceived doctrinal ambiguity. His papacy marks a shift toward a more pastoral and outward-facing Church.