Birth and Early Life of Pope Francis as Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, known as Pope Francis, was born in Flores, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, as the eldest of five children in a family of Italian immigrants. His father, Mario José Bergoglio, worked as a railway worker, while his mother, Regina María Sívori, was a homemaker. Growing up in a modest household, Bergoglio developed a strong sense of community and social justice, which would later influence his papacy. He joined the Society of Jesus, becoming a Jesuit priest, and eventually rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church, serving in various roles including as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. His election as pope marked a pivotal moment in the Church's history, as he became the first pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, reflecting a shift in the Church's global leadership.