RIP, POPE FRANCIS, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. As son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, Francis (born JORGE MARIO Bergoglio) invested personal passion into his fierce advocacy on behalf of migrants

Francis, standing second left, with his two brothers, two sisters and parents, both Italian immigrants who settled in Argentina. Photograph: API/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Pope Francis made history when he became the first leader of the Catholic Church from the Americas.

The 76-year-old Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was given his new name after he was elected to succeed Pope Benedict XVI on 13 March, 2013.

He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 December, 1936, to Italian immigrants.

The Argentine had worked as a bouncer before turning to the priesthood after recovering from pneumonia back in 1958.

Francis was ordained a priest on 13 December 1969 and trained in Spain for a year before moving back to Argentina.
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Francis took over the role of Pope in 2014, and was seen as an outspoken moderniser, reformist and progressive.

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POPE FRANCIS never visited Fiji. The last Pope to visit was John Paul 11, who in 1986 had described 'Fiji: The Way The World Should Be'.

14 May 1987
"Fiji - A Garden of Eden to Satan's Paradise

​Fijileaks: The Government of India, on application, may register as an Overseas Citizen of India, any person who: (a)  is a citizen of another country, but was a citizen of India on 26 January 1950 or at any time thereafter; or (b) is a citizen of another country, but belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15 August 1947; or (c) is a citizen of another country, but was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26 January 1950; or (d) is a child or a grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen.

September 2024: Fiji's Archbishop Peter Loy Chong meets Pope Francis in PNG