It was 741 when someone from outside Europe last visited the Roman Catholic Church . That 's when Pope Gregory III , born in Rome , began his 10-year reign . Before him , there were popes from Bethlehem ( St. Evaristus , from 97 to 105 ) , Jerusalem ( That 's just one of several unusual things about the new Pope Francis .
It was 741 when someone from outside Europe last visited the Roman Catholic Church . That 's when Pope Gregory III , born in Rome , began his 10-year reign . That 's just one of several unusual things about the new Pope Francis .