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NEW POPE ELECTED: Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis

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Published: 3/13 9:53 am

Updated: 3/13 4:52 pm

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NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Argentine Jorge Bergoglio has been elected pope, the first ever from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. He chose the name Pope Francis.

After announcing "Habemus Papum" - "We have a pope!" - a cardinal standing on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday revealed the identity of the new pontiff, using his Latin name. Bergoglio had reportedly finished second in the 2005 conclave that produced Benedict XVI - who last month became the first pope to resign in 600 years.

The 76-year-old archbishop of Buenos Aires has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

His Background

Bergoglio, 76, has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests.

The archbishop of Buenos Aires reportedly got the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election, and he has long specialized in the kind of pastoral work that some say is an essential skill for the next pope.

In a lifetime of teaching and leading priests in Latin America, which has the largest share of the world's Catholics, Bergoglio has shown a keen political sensibility as well as the kind of self-effacing humility that fellow cardinals value highly.

Bergoglio is known for modernizing an Argentine church that had been among the most conservative in Latin America.

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Baven2 - 3/13/2013 10:32 PM

4 Votes

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I hope and pray the new Pope realizes the Catholic church has bedded itself far too much with the world's liberals. And how's that turned out exactly? When Catholics & Christians are murdered in continents like Africa, do liberals ever care? Not a word huh. It's funny too, I never remember Jesus in the Bible advocating for someone to steal from person A to give to person B, yet liberals manage to snakebite many a person into believing it's religious to do so. This Catholic conservative has high hopes though.

trutex - 3/13/2013 10:00 PM

2 Votes

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As an evangelical Christian I hope that this new Pope will bring the full weight of the Catholic Church to bear on the problem of societal decay. For too long it is as if evangelicals have been fighting alone against this Country's continual slide into the gutter. It would be heartening to see the Catholic Church fully join the fight especially here in the US where it is sorely needed.

AFretired2002 - 3/13/2013 9:30 PM

1 Vote

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no it's how I refer to a moronic LIEberal atheist like you Jackazz. I refer to the pope as Holy Father.

Strings - 3/13/2013 9:08 PM

0 Votes

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Is this how you address his holiness?

AFretired2002 - 3/13/2013 8:24 PM

2 Votes

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hey jackazz, try insulting islam and see how many prayer rugs and guns are lined up outside your door, Catholics are easy targets because we are told to forgive everyone, yes, even idiots like you

MarcelinoCR - 3/13/2013 8:08 PM

1 Vote

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finallys a latino santo papa! God Blesse Hims!

Strings - 3/13/2013 7:52 PM

0 Votes

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Pastor Bob is looking too hard for Peter to fulfill his Malarkey prophecy. Yes, it is a fact that a Vatican sleeper agent has been chosen to lead the church, probably because he speaks Spanish and as Fox news reported seven times ( I counted after it became repetitious ) that he rides the bus, the mystery of the Holy See remains to be uncovered. It is with wisdom and enlightenment that this new Vicar of Christ has chosen the name Francis, or as they announced in Latin, on twitter, of all things (the Pope is on twitter as "pontifex") HABEMUS PAPAM FRANCISCUM. It remains to be seen, once old, and rather new, into the future we bleed, whether or not he rides the magic bus. So it is and always shall be. I am now reminded of Francis, the talking mule. Hee haw.

Phrilly - 3/13/2013 7:26 PM

2 Votes

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Five minutes, FIVE MINUTES (I timed it) of the news on this. That's five minutes out of the maybe 20 minutes of the news considering all the commercials. Not eveyone watching TV cares a flying --- about this and it shows up every secment of the news. They spent more time on this than they do on a member of our police force being killed. That is truely a shame. I'm so glad I can tape and fast speed forward over all this drivel just like I do the commercials. The most entertaining of the whole thing was the seagull perched on the smoke stack (hopefully doing his business while he was there) it was probably warm and he was comfortable. How many weeks are we going to have to put up with this so called news??????

5PMCharlie - 3/13/2013 5:19 PM

1 Vote

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The election of a Latin American pope and a Jesuit is an interesting choice. I'm saddened though by the cardinal's choice of an old man. Within some bounds, the Catholic church needs literally, some new blood and ideas.

AFretired2002 - 3/13/2013 5:01 PM

3 Votes

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hey bob, satan called and wants his son to return home, better get moving

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