On March the 13, 2013 AD, Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio was elected as Supreme Pontiff as the Catholic Church and took the name Francis I. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?
Anyway, he is a lot of "firsts" - First South American (or any American pope - for that matter, first modern non-European pope), first Jesuit, first Francis.
Think about it for a moment. Two thousand years ago, Saint Peter was killed by the Romans. The obelisk that now stands in St. Peter's Square (this one) was brought from Egypt before that, making that obelisk one of the last things he ever saw.
Now, in 2013, the successor of Saint Peter stood above that very same obelisk victorious. Where is Nero's successor?
If you were able to watch the proceedings online, take note of the crowd. If you look at the thousands upon thousands packed into the square, one thing is clear: the Church is not dead. For as much as Catholics are hated and maligned and persecuted in the world today, we will overcome.
"You are Peter, and upon this Rock I build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."
Nothing. Not the gates of hell. Certainly not the world. Nothing will conquer Christ's Church.
Pope Francis I, we are all praying for you.
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