20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Pope Francis

Pope Francis, The Holy Father

1.  Pope Francis’ favorite book, other than the Bible, is Diary of a Country Priest.  It is on his bedside table.
2. Pope Francis gave up television in 1990 after making a promise to Our Lady.  He has never broken that promise.  
3. Pope Francis has never been on Twitter. 
4. Pope Francis is the first successor to Peter from Argentina.
5. Pope Francis is the 266th Pope. 
6. He was the eldest of five children.  
7. He graduated with a chemical technician diploma from Escuela Tecnica Industrial secondary technical school.
8. He is very fond of tango dancing.
9. Before joining the Jesuits he was a bar bouncer and as a janitor, sweeping floors.  He also ran tests for a chemical laboratory.   
10.   He was a fan of the films of Tita Merello.  
11. He is a lifelong supporter of San Lorenzo de Almagro football club in Argentina. 
12. He found his vocation to the Jesuits while he was on his way to celebrate Spring Day. 
13. He told the journalists(after his inauguration)that he had chosen the name Francis in honor of the saint and had done so because he was especially concerned about the wellbeing of the poor. 
14. When it became clear he was about to be elected as the new bishop of Rome, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes had embraced him and whispered, "Don't forget the poor."
15. On the day of his election, The Vatican declared that his name was not Francis I, but only Francis.  No regnal number will be used until his death. 
16.  It is the first time since Pope Lando(913-914)that a serving Pope holds a name not used by a predecessor. 
17. Pope Francis recalls that some elector-cardinals jokingly suggested to him that he should take the name Adrian since Pope Adrian IV was a reformer of the Church.
18. In February 2015, it was reported that if Pope Francis had been elected in 2005, he would have chosen the pontifical name, John XXIV to honor Pope John XXIII.
19. His motto, Miserando Atque Eligendo, means 'By Giving Mercy And By Choosing. 
20. Pope Francis said that the most powerful message of our Lord Jesus Christ is Mercy.