Frankie Goes to the Vatican Trivia Quiz

Answer: Argentina

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. He was one of five children born to immigrant couple Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori.

Bergoglio was 76 years old when elected Pope on 13 March 2013, which at the time made him the 9th oldest Pope to assume the role. However, he was still almost two years younger than Joseph Ratzinger, his predecessor, was when he became Pope Benedict XVI.

Answer: Italian

The largest group of migrants to Argentina have come from Italy--even more than Spain. It is estimated that 60% of Argentines have Italian ancestry (about 25 million people), including the country's first pope.

Answer: Part of one of his lungs was removed

In the 1950s, when Bergoglio became sick, antibiotics were often not readily available, so it was not uncommon for a badly infected lung to be collapsed and removed rather than risk infection spreading throughout the body. It is possible to live for decades with only one functioning lung, as the Pope has demonstrated.

Answer: Science

The young Jorge Bergoglio studied at the University of Buenos Aires, where he earned a Master's degree in chemistry. Later, after more than 20 years as a priest, he studied for a doctorate in theology in Freiburg, Germany.

Answer: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

Bergoglio entered the Society of Jesus in 1958, at the age of 21. Members, known as Jesuits, commit themselves to a lifestyle set forth by founder Ignatius of Loyola, which includes missionary work and a focus on education, research, promotion of social justice and spiritual development.

Answer: Teaching high school

Bergoglio taught philosophy, psychology and literature at Argentine high schools. Education is a particular focus of the Jesuit order, with dozens of schools, colleges and universities founded and staffed by Jesuits throughout the world.

Answer: Pope John Paul II

Ordained a bishop in 1992, he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires five years later. In 2001 Pope John Paul II made Archbishop Bergoglio a cardinal, with the title "cardinal-priest of San Roberto Bellarmino".

Answer: 5

As a two-thirds supermajority was required to elect the Pope under the rules in place in 2013, it took at least 77 of the 115 cardinal electors to vote for Jorge Bergoglio. This occurred in the fifth round of balloting, which is relatively short in historical terms.

In the 100 years prior to Francis' election there had been 8 papal conclaves, with an average of 7.5 rounds of voting.

Answer: St Francis of Assisi

In the immediate aftermath of his election there was much speculation in the media about whether Bergoglio's choice of the name "Francis" was a reference to Francis of Assisi or to Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits famed for his missionary work.

In his first meeting with thousands of journalists the new Pope confirmed that his inspiration was indeed St Francis of Assisi. He explained that, as the votes sealing his election were confirmed, he thought of the the world's poor, and of war, and the saint came to his mind.

The beloved 13th century Italian monk is known for his dedication to a life of simplicity and service to the poor. He also famously reported hearing God speak to him, saying "Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin", leading to speculation that the new Pope saw his role as rebuilding the church.

Answer: First non-European Pope

Francis is the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope from the southern hemisphere and the first Pope from the Americas. However, a number of non-Europeans have sat on the throne of Peter--although not for more than a millennium prior to Francis' elevation.

Apart from Pope John Paul I in 1978, no new regnal name had been used in 1100 years until Bergoglio's choice was announced.