Jorge Mario Bergoglio S. J. was born on 17 December 1936 Buenos Aires, Argentina; ordained priest in 1969. Provincial of the Society of Jesus in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. On 20 May 1992, John Paul II appointed him titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, He received episcopal consecration in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires on 27 June of that year. On 3 June 1997 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998 and created and proclaimed a Cardinal by Blessed John Paul II in the concistory of 21 February 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, the conclave elected him on 13 March as the 266th Succesor of St. Peter. He chose the papal name FRANCIS in honour of St Francis of Assisi. He is the first pope to be a Jesuit, to come from the Americas, and to come from Southern Hemisphere. His ministry as Universal Pastor of the Church Solemnly began on 19 March 2013.