Pope Francis is cool! In fact we believe he is the coolest Pope ever! The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina and the 266th pope, has captivated the world with his decidedly unorthodox approach to the Papacy. Since his appointment in March of 2013, Pope Francis has shunned the traditional trappings of Papal office, and instead demonstrated through his actions and words his humility, service, and concern for his fellow men and women. Plus, he’s got a sense of humor. Pope Francis is changing the face and image of the Catholic Church and along the way, he’s establishing himself as pretty much the coolest Pope ever.
Read Related: Of Course Papa Francisco is Latino!
Here are 11 reasons that Pope Francis is cooler than all 265 of his predecessors put together.
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He took his name from St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order and champion of the poor.
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He opts to live not in the lavish Papal apartments in Vatican City, but in a much simpler, smaller guesthouse in the same vicinity.
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He drives himself to work. His 1984 Renault 4 was donated by an Italian priest and Pope Francis uses it for short commutes within Vatican City.
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He’s committed to curbing the frivolous spending of the Church and the Vatican Bank. He essentially fired the “Bishop of Bling,” the German bishop who spent more than $50 million on renovations to his official residence.
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He’s humble. Prior to his first Maundy Thursday address, he washed the feet of 10 prisoners at a Roman prison. Two of them were female and two were Muslim.
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In October, a young boy came onstage while Pope Francis addressed the crowds at St. Peter’s, and refused to leave. The Pope patted the boy on the head and let him stay, even after the boy sat in the Pope’s chair!
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This month, he melted hearts around the world when he embraced a severely disfigured, diseased man in St. Peter’s Square.
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He posed for a “selfie” with a group of young teens inside St. Peter’s Basilica.
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He donned a red clown nose and posed for photos to help a couple celebrate their Vatican City wedding. The couple works for a charity that uses clowns to cheer up sick children.
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He has opened the door of the Church to gays, saying that, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”
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He’s indicated that in the future, the time might be right to allow Catholic priests to marry and have children.
