Ten facts on Catholicism in honor of Pope Francis’ visit to the US

MCT

Pope Francis being greeted by President Barack Obama. The Pope is scheduled to make trips to Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C. on his trip in the United States. Pope Francis shall be the first Pope to address Congress and is the fourth Pope to visit the United States.

Madeline Marsh, Feature Chief
September 23, 2015

  1. Pope Francis is the fourth pope to visit America
  2. When addressing Congress on Thurs., Sept. 24, Pope Francis will be the first pope ever to do so
  3. Pope Francis is the first Pope to come from the Americas, having been born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina on Dec. 17, 1936
  4. Pope Francis is the 266th pope
  5. He is the first Pope to choose the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, upon taking the papal office. He is also the first Jesuit pope.
  6. Pope Francis shall visit three locations while on tour in America: New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
  7. There are an estimated 1.2 billion Catholics in the world, according to Vatican figures; 72 million of which are estimated to live in the United States, according to a study released in 2008 by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
  8. 53 per cent of Catholics who say they approve of the direction Pope Francis is leading the Catholic Church, according to a poll conducted by The New York Times
  9. Bergoglio was ordained in 1969 and became Pope in March of 2013 taking over the papal office from Pope Benedict XVI.

  For further news on Pope Francis and his visit to the United States, click here.