Pope Who?

Who Is Pope Francis? Six Best Reads on Jorge Mario Bergoglio

The Daily Beast rounds up some of the best reads to introduce you to Pope Francis—and explain why he was picked.

Who Is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio?John L. Allen Jr., National Catholic Reporter

A profile of the first Jesuit to be elected pope, a runner-up in the 2005 conclave, which picked Joseph Ratzinger to succeed John Paul II.

Saint Francis of AssisiJoan Acocella, The New Yorker

Francesco di Bernardone, whose name Bergoglio chose as his new papal moniker, was considered a saint even before his death. He posed a challenge for the church: he was too revered not to claim, too radical not to neutralize.

How They Pick the PopeDaniel J. Wakin, The New York Times

It might begin with prayers and chants, but the election of the pope is all politics, characterized by a conclave full of secrecy.

The First South American PontiffAssociated Press

A look at Jorge Bergoglio’s long career in Argentina, where his fierce criticism of same-sex marriage didn’t prevent the country from becoming the first in the region to legalize it.

The Sins of the Argentine ChurchHugh O’Shaughnessy, The Guardian

Did the new Pope help a brutal dictatorship? Journalist Horacio Verbitsky claims that Bergoglio had helped ex-general Jorge Videla hide political prisoners from a human rights commission.

Why We’ve Had Enough Of European PopesA.N. Wilson, Newsweek

After Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, why there shouldn’t be a pope from Europe for a while.

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