Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, has been hospitalised since February 14 after he complained of breathing difficulties. As the 88-year-old is battling double pneumonia, the Vatican confirmed improvement in his health.

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On Tuesday (Feb 25), Pope Francis approved the canonisation of two new saints as he continued to carry out his papal duties from his hospital bed.

Who is Pope Francis?

Born in December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires, is a prominent figure across the Americas yet a simple pastor deeply loved by his diocese.

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Also read | Pope Francis shows 'slight improvement', says Vatican

The first pope from South America and the first from the Jesuit order, Pope Francis brought several reforms to the church and promoted unity between Catholics, non-Catholics and non-Christians.

Pope Francis has often said, “My people are poor, and I am one of them.” He lives in an apartment and cooks his own meals. Advising his priests to show mercy and apostolic courage, Pope Francis believes that “trampling upon a person’s dignity is a serious sin.”

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He was born into a family of Italian immigrants—his father Mario was an accountant employed by the railways, while his mother Regina Sivori was a dedicated wife who raised him and his four siblings.

Also read | Pope Francis approves canonisation of two new saints from hospital bed

Career of Pope Francis

A chemical technician, Pope Francis chose the path of priesthood and entered the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. In 1958, he joined the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.

He then turned to academics and studied humanities in Chile. After this, he returned to Argentina in 1963, where he completed a degree in philosophy. For the next three years, he taught literature and psychology while studying theology.

In December 1969, he was ordained a priest and took his final vows in the Jesuit order in 1973. In 1973, he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina, where he remained for the next six years. 

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A military coup happened in Argentina in 1976 when he was the head of the country’s Jesuits, during which he helped several people hide from authorities and even assisted some escape the country. However, he faced controversy for failing to protect two Jesuit priests who went missing but were later found alive after five months.

He resumed teaching in 1980 and went on to pursue theology in Germany in 1986. 
In 1992, he was appointed as the Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires. He was raised to the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was declared a Cardinal in 2001.

Also read | ‘Pray for me,’ says Pope in message from hospital as he undergoes treatment for double pneumonia

Advocate for poor and social cause

Pope Francis is an outspoken advocate for the poor and promotes the church’s position in social matters with government officials. 

He asked his followers not to come to Rome to celebrate his naming as Cardinal but rather to offer to the poor on their journey during the economic crisis in Argentina in the late 1990s.

Despite gaining popularity in Latin America, rather than living in the archbishop’s residence, Pope Francis lives in a simple downtown apartment and travels by public transportation or by foot.

In 2013, he was elected as the Supreme Pontiff and has held the position since then.

(With inputs from agencies)