The choice of Bergoglio marked a milestone in the history of the Vatican and the world, by becoming the first Latin American Pope and the first of the Jesuit order. According to the book The choice of Pope Francishis designation responded to the need to renew the leadership of the Catholic Church after the resignation of Benedict XVI, announced on February 11, 2013 and effective on the 28th of that same month.
It was that February 28 when Camarlengo, in charge of directing the church interim, announced the vacancy approximately at night in Italy. This announcement activated the protocol within the Cardinals College for Start the conclave.
The meeting of the 115 cardinals under 80 years of age, with the right to vote, was held in Rome after his call to the Vatican to choose the new Supreme Pontiff, in accordance with ecclesiastical norms.
On March 12, the Sistine Chapel closed its doors, declaring the beginning of the confidentiality period of the conclave. That same day the first vote began, after the protocol and ceremonial acts.
At 5:30 p.m. on March 12, the mandatory isolation of the 115 cardinals was given way, who entered a process of prayer and spiritual discernment to reach the required consensus.
It was on March 13, during the fourth election of the day and the fifth of the process, which Jorge Mario Bergoglio was chosen as a new pontiff, receiving 85 of the 115 votes, exceeding the two thirds required by the Code of Canon Law.
During the voting, names such as the Archbishop of Milan, Angelo Scola; Canadian Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; the Italians Angelo Bagnasco and Francesco Coccopalmerio; and the Honduran Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga.
According to Rome Reportsat 19.06 hours of Rome on March 13, 2013, the white smoking of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel announced to the world that the Church had a new Pope.
An hour later, the official announcement was made by the Protodiácono from the central balcony of the Basilica of San Pedro: Jorge Mario Bergoglio would be known as Pope Francis, a name chosen in honor of San Francisco de Asís. With this, it became the pontiff number 266.
His name was a reflection of his vision of a more humble and committed church to the poorest.
On March 14, 2013 he celebrated his first Mass as a pontiff, and was formally invested on March 19 in the Plaza de San Pedro. At 76, he became head of the state of the Vatican and spiritual leader of more than one billion faithful. He was also the first non -European Pope since the thirteenth century and led the Catholic Church for more than 12 years, promoting internal reforms.
The same process must be carried out in the next 15 or 20 days to choose the new Supreme Pontiff, after the official announcement of the death of Pope Francis, this April 21, 2025.
With this election, the third process of designation of a Supreme Pontiff will be held in the 21st century and Pope 267 will be chosen in the history of the Church, to continue with the direction and administration of the Vatican.