▁of ▁the ▁V at ican ▁City ▁State . ▁Francis ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁Jes uit ▁po pe , ▁the ▁first ▁from ▁the ▁Amer icas , ▁the ▁first ▁from ▁the ▁Southern ▁Hem is phere , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁po pe ▁from ▁outside ▁Europe ▁since ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Gregory ▁III , ▁who ▁re igned ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires , ▁Argentina , ▁Berg og lio ▁was ▁ord ained ▁a ▁Catholic ▁priest ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁and ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁was ▁Argentina ' s ▁provincial ▁superior ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Jesus ▁( J es uits ). ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁arch bishop ▁of ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁was ▁created ▁a ▁cardinal ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁by ▁Pope ▁John ▁Paul ▁II . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁Church ▁during ▁the ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁ri ots ▁in ▁Argentina . ▁The ▁administr ations ▁of ▁N ést or ▁Kirch ner ▁and ▁Crist ina ▁Fernández ▁de ▁Kirch ner ▁considered ▁him ▁a ▁political ▁rival . ▁Following ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Pope ▁Bened ict ▁XVI ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁a ▁pap al ▁conc lave ▁elected ▁Berg og lio ▁as ▁his ▁successor ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁March . ▁He ▁chose ▁Francis ▁as ▁his ▁pap al ▁name ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁Saint ▁Francis ▁of ▁Ass isi . ▁ ▁Through out ▁his ▁public ▁life , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁has ▁been ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁hum