Pope Francis became pope on 13 March 2013, when he was elected by the papal conclave and took the name Francis.

When did the pope become the pope?

Quick Scoop

For the current era , people asking “when did the pope become the pope?” are usually talking about Pope Francis.

  • Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the Catholic Church on 13 March 2013.
  • His papal inauguration Mass in St. Peter’s Square followed a few days later, on 19 March 2013.
  • His pontificate ran from 2013 until his death in 2025.

So if your question is about the date he “became” pope , the key moment is the conclave’s election on 13 March 2013—at that instant he formally became Pope Francis.

How a man “becomes” the pope

In the Roman Catholic Church, a new pope is chosen in a secret election called a conclave , held by the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.

In simple steps:

  1. The previous pope dies or resigns, creating a vacancy (called “sede vacante”).
  1. Cardinals under age 80 gather in Vatican City for the conclave.
  1. They vote in multiple rounds by secret ballot until one candidate gets a two‑thirds majority.
  1. Once a cardinal accepts his election, he is immediately the new pope.
  1. He chooses a papal name (e.g., “Francis”) when asked, “By what name shall you be called?”
  1. The senior deacon announces Habemus papam (“We have a pope!”) from the balcony of St. Peter’s.

The famous white smoke from the Sistine Chapel signals that a new pope has been elected.

Pope Francis: a quick timeline

  • Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 December 1936.
  • Ordained a priest in 1969, later became archbishop of Buenos Aires and then a cardinal.
  • Elected pope on 13 March 2013 and chose the name Francis, honoring Saint Francis of Assisi.
  • First pope from the Americas, first from South America, and first Jesuit pope.
  • Served as pope from 2013 to 2025.

These milestones are why 2013 is often seen as the start of a “new era” for the papacy.

Fast facts table (HTML)

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Question Short Answer
When did the pope become the pope (Pope Francis)? 13 March 2013, when he was elected in the papal conclave.
When was his inauguration Mass? 19 March 2013 in St. Peter’s Square.
How long did his pontificate last? From 2013 to 2025.
What number pope was he? The 266th pope of the Catholic Church.
What was his birth name and origin? Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Forum‑style angle and “trending topic” context

On forums and social media, the question “when did the pope become the pope?” often sparks a few different angles:

  • Some users mean the exact date of Pope Francis’s election in 2013.
  • Others are really asking historical versions of the question—like “when did the Bishop of Rome become the Pope with big global authority?” which historians trace as a gradual development over many centuries.

“Papal authority developed the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” – a popular historian’s metaphor quoted in forum discussions.

The topic still appears in news and explainers, especially around anniversaries of Francis’s election and coverage of his legacy (e.g., his 2013 election and his reforms are regularly highlighted in 2020s profiles).

TL;DR:
Pope Francis “became the pope” on 13 March 2013, the moment he accepted his election in the papal conclave and took the name Francis.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.