• Pope Francis pictured in 1973 when he was Priest Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was ordained in December, 1969. AFP
    Pope Francis pictured in 1973 when he was Priest Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was ordained in December, 1969. AFP
  • Jorge Mario, right, posing with unidentified classmates in an undated photo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
    Jorge Mario, right, posing with unidentified classmates in an undated photo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
  • Jorge Mario Bergoglio with his mother Maria Regina Sivori and his father Mario Jose Bergoglio, pictured in 1958 in Buenos Aires. AFP
    Jorge Mario Bergoglio with his mother Maria Regina Sivori and his father Mario Jose Bergoglio, pictured in 1958 in Buenos Aires. AFP
  • Jorge Mario Bergoglio serves a meal in Buenos Aires in this undated photo. AFP
    Jorge Mario Bergoglio serves a meal in Buenos Aires in this undated photo. AFP
  • Undated picture shows the then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, back row, 2nd left, with his family. AFP
    Undated picture shows the then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, back row, 2nd left, with his family. AFP
  • Picture taken in 1998 of the then bishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio officiating mass at a shanty town in Buenos Aires. AFP
    Picture taken in 1998 of the then bishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio officiating mass at a shanty town in Buenos Aires. AFP
  • Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio attends the special mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City in 2005. AFP
    Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio attends the special mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City in 2005. AFP
  • Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio posing with a San Lorenzo's football shirt, the team he supports in Buenos Aires, in 2011. AFP
    Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio posing with a San Lorenzo's football shirt, the team he supports in Buenos Aires, in 2011. AFP
  • Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowd after being elected pope. Getty Images
    Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowd after being elected pope. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica after his election. Getty Images
    Pope Francis appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica after his election. Getty Images
  • A man sells a newspaper with the announcement of the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis in San Salvador. AFP
    A man sells a newspaper with the announcement of the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis in San Salvador. AFP
  • Pope Francis prays for migrants after casting a wreath into the Mediterranean Sea off Lampedusa island, Italy on July 8, 2013. AFP
    Pope Francis prays for migrants after casting a wreath into the Mediterranean Sea off Lampedusa island, Italy on July 8, 2013. AFP
  • Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Copacabana beach on July 25, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Getty Images
    Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Copacabana beach on July 25, 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis visiting Bethany beyond the Jordan river, the site believed to be of Christ's baptism, west of Amman, Jordan, on May 24, 2014. AFP
    Pope Francis visiting Bethany beyond the Jordan river, the site believed to be of Christ's baptism, west of Amman, Jordan, on May 24, 2014. AFP
  • Pope Francis leads an open-air mass at the Manger Square, next to the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on May 25, 2014. Getty Images
    Pope Francis leads an open-air mass at the Manger Square, next to the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on May 25, 2014. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis prays at birthplace of Saint Kim Taegon Andrea, who was the first Korean-born Catholic priest, in Dangjin, South Korea, on August 15, 2014. Getty Images
    Pope Francis prays at birthplace of Saint Kim Taegon Andrea, who was the first Korean-born Catholic priest, in Dangjin, South Korea, on August 15, 2014. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis meets Diego Maradona at the Vatican on September 1, 2014. Getty Images
    Pope Francis meets Diego Maradona at the Vatican on September 1, 2014. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis addresses the joint session of Congress in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2014. AFP
    Pope Francis addresses the joint session of Congress in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2014. AFP
  • Pope Francis kisses a sick child before a canonisation mass for Joseph Vaz in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on January 14, 2015. AFP
    Pope Francis kisses a sick child before a canonisation mass for Joseph Vaz in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on January 14, 2015. AFP
  • Pope Francis waves to the crowd after conducting mass at the Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines, on January 18, 2015. Getty Images
    Pope Francis waves to the crowd after conducting mass at the Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines, on January 18, 2015. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis drives away in his Popemobile after leaving the cathedral where he held a mass and blessed the city in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, on September 22, 2015. Getty Images
    Pope Francis drives away in his Popemobile after leaving the cathedral where he held a mass and blessed the city in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, on September 22, 2015. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis waves to the crowd at the University of Nairobi as he arrives to deliver an open-air mass in Kenya, on November 26, 2015. AFP
    Pope Francis waves to the crowd at the University of Nairobi as he arrives to deliver an open-air mass in Kenya, on November 26, 2015. AFP
  • Pope Francis meets migrants in Lesbos, Greece, on April 16, 2016. Getty Images
    Pope Francis meets migrants in Lesbos, Greece, on April 16, 2016. Getty Images
  • Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bids farewell to Pope Francis after a meeting in the Vatican City, on September 15, 2016. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi
    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bids farewell to Pope Francis after a meeting in the Vatican City, on September 15, 2016. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi
  • Pope Francis waves to worshipers before the start of a mass at a stadium in the Egyptian capital Cairo, on April 29, 2017. AFP
    Pope Francis waves to worshipers before the start of a mass at a stadium in the Egyptian capital Cairo, on April 29, 2017. AFP
  • People standing outside St Mary's Cathedral watch Pope Francis greeting well-wishers after a mass in Yangon, Myanmar, on November 30, 2017. AFP
    People standing outside St Mary's Cathedral watch Pope Francis greeting well-wishers after a mass in Yangon, Myanmar, on November 30, 2017. AFP
  • Pope Francis attends the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, on March 30, 2018. Getty Images
    Pope Francis attends the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, on March 30, 2018. Getty Images
  • Pope Francis exchanges gifts during a visit to the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, near Geneva, Switzerland, on June 21, 2018. AFP
    Pope Francis exchanges gifts during a visit to the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, near Geneva, Switzerland, on June 21, 2018. AFP
  • Pope Francis leads the Wednesday general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, on January 16, 2019. Reuters
    Pope Francis leads the Wednesday general audience in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, on January 16, 2019. Reuters

Pope Francis: From Buenos Aires priest to leader of 1.3 billion - in pictures

As Jorge Maria Bergoglio rose through the Catholic church hierarchy he remained committed to keeping a low profile in the Argentine capital

The National

January 28, 2019

  • English
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Born in Buenos Aires on December 17 1936, Jorge Maria Bergoglio was raised by Italian immigrant parents.

The eldest of five siblings, he was the epitome of the young Argentine man: Light-hearted, charming and an avid fan of football and Tango.

On December 13 1969, just shy of turning 33, he was ordained as a Jesuit priest. He served as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires between 1992 and 1997 before being appointed the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.

In 2001 he was made cardinal by the late Pope John Paull II. Despite his status, Carinal Bergoglio continued to reside in a small apartment instead of the elegant suburb home he was offered.

For years, he remained committed to keeping a low-profile in order to continue taking the subway and the bus around Buenos Aires.

He was elected the 266th Pope on March 13, 2013, replacing the abdicating Benedict XVI.

Take a look at Pope Francis's life in pictures in the gallery above.

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