Pope Francis became pope on 13 March 2013, when he was elected as the 266th pope of the Catholic Church.

Quick Scoop

  • He was elected pope on 13 March 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI.
  • His papal inauguration Mass, marking the formal start of his public ministry as pope, took place on 19 March 2013 in St. Peter’s Square.
  • Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he became the first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit pope in history.

In simple terms: the key date most people mean by “when did Pope Francis become pope” is 13 March 2013, the day he was elected.

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