Cardinal Bergoglio Elected Pope Francis
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation on February 28, 2013, marked the first papal resignation in nearly 600 years and triggered a conclave to select his successor amid calls for renewal in the Catholic Church. Cardinals from around the world gathered in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City for voting that began on March 12. On March 13, after five ballots, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and a Jesuit, received the required two-thirds majority. He chose the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, becoming the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first non-European pope in over a millennium. Bergoglio appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica that evening to greet the crowd.
Why it matters: The election shifted the Church's leadership toward the Global South, emphasizing themes of humility, social justice, and environmental stewardship that influenced subsequent papal documents and global Catholic priorities. It signaled a break from European dominance in the papacy and opened new directions in Church governance and outreach.