Aug 29 (Reuters) – Here are some statistics about Pope Francis, who next week at age 87 will embark on a 33,000-kilometer (20,500-mile) journey through four Southeast Asian countries.
election
Former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope on March 13, 2013. He is the 266th pope, the first from Latin America, and the first pope to bear the name Francis.
interval
Francis has been in the pontificate for more than 11 years, well above the average of seven and a half years, and is also the oldest serving pope since Leo XIII, who died in 1903 at age 93. Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI, was 95 when he died but was 85 when he retired from the papacy.
International travel
The trip to Southeast Asia marks Pope Francis' 45th trip outside Italy. By the end of the trip, he will have visited more than 64 states and territories, covering a total distance of more than 460,000 kilometers (285,000 miles).
His first overseas trip as pope was to Brazil in 2013. He will return from Asia in September and visit Belgium and Luxembourg.
Pope Francis underwent hospital tests in early 2024 after spending several weeks with what was variously described as a cold, bronchitis or flu, but his health has appeared to be improving since the end of March.
He underwent surgery in 2021 and 2023 to remove part of his colon and repair an abdominal hernia because of painful diverticulitis, but said last year that the diverticulitis had returned.
Francis has also had mobility issues for several years and, when not using a wheelchair, usually walks with a cane. For many years he has suffered from sciatica, a chronic nerve condition that causes pain in the lower back, hips and legs, and more recently has had knee problems.
Saints
Pope Francis has designated more than 900 people as saints, including his predecessors John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, who was murdered in 1980.
Encyclical
Encyclicals are the most important form of papal document. Francis has written three:
– 2013 “Lumen Fidei” (Light of Faith), based in part on the writings of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, which speaks about the importance of the Christian faith.
– “Laudato Si'” (Praise Be to All), which called for urgent action on climate change in 2015.
– “Fratelli Tutti” (All Brothers) in 2020 addressed solidarity between people in a post-pandemic world.
Sign up here.
Edited by Crispian Bulmer and Joshua McElwee, edited by Kevin Liffey
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Opens in new tab
Purchasing License Rights
Source link
