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New Pope Is Named — the First Non-European Pope in Modern History

Mar 13, 2013  •  Post A Comment

The new pope of the Roman Catholic Church has been named, signaled by the traditional white smoke rising above the Vatican. Reuters reports that Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope today.

Bergoglio becomes the first non-European pope in modern history, according to media reports. He has taken the name Pope Francis, according to Reuters.

Breaking with tradition, the new pope appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica about an hour after the white smoke signaled that the decision had been made and greeted the huge crowd that had gathered in the square, the piece reports.

“Cardinals elected Bergoglio on just the second day of a secret conclave to find a successor to Pope Benedict, who abdicated unexpectedly last month,” the report notes.

The 76-year-old Bergoglio has served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, the city of his birth, since 1998.

Jorge-Bergoglio.jpgPope Francis

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