EU leaders have hailed the election of the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years.
The 76-year-old Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who comes from Buenos Aires but whose parents were Italian, became Pope Francis at 7.06pm local time in Rome on Wednesday (13 March).
The first pope, St. Peter, was himself born in what is today Israel. But the last time the Vatican chose a leader from outside Europe was Pope Gregory III, from what is today Syria, in 731 AD.
Pope Francis refle...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.