Pope Francis firsts that made history -

Pope Francis will likely go down in history as the most progressive pontiff in the Catholic Church's history. Over the years, the pope from South America left his mark in unprecedented events. Pope Francis spoke openly about many issues afflicting the Church and indeed the world, visited countries no pope before him ever visited, met numerous people, and made the cover of magazines such as Time and Rolling Stone. 

In this gallery, we remember some of the most important firsts by Pope Francis. Click on to get to know them. 

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The first pope from the Western Hemisphere -

Francis was born in Argentina, making him the first pope from the Western Hemisphere.

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The first pope from South America -

Pope Francis is also the first in the Church’s history to come from South America.

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The first pope from the Jesuit order -

Francis is the first Jesuit pope ever. The Jesuits, also known as the Society of Jesus, is a religious order that dates back to the 16th century.

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The first Pope Francis -

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the pontiff chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi of Italy, a man who dedicated his life to the poor.

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The first pope to approve the blessing of same-sex couples -

Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions during an interview for the 2020 documentary ‘Francesco.’ "Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. You can't kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered," he said.

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The first pope to condemn church's culture of abuse and cover-up -

The Catholic Church has had its fair share of scandals over the years. Francis was the first pope to address the worst of them. In 2018, he expressed shame over a sexual abuse scandal in Chile, saying “With shame I must say that we didn’t know how to listen or respond in time.”

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The first pope to call for global action on climate change -

In his 2015 encyclical on the environment, Pope Francis called for a radical change in economic systems and political policies to prevent an environmental disaster.

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The first pope to address G7 leaders -

In June 2024, Pope Francis became the first to address world leaders at a G7 summit. The pontiff raised concerns about the use of AI.

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The first pope to address G7 leaders -

“We need to ensure and safeguard a space for proper human control over the choices made by artificial intelligence programs: Human dignity itself depends on it,” he said.

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The first pope to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality -

Pope Francis was the first pontiff to say that the Catholic Church must work to put an end to laws that criminalize homosexuality. These “unjust” laws are still active in some countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

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The first pope to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality -

Homosexuality is illegal in several nations, and in some, the death penalty is the ultimate price to pay. “Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said in 2023.

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The first pope to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality -

“It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime. It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another,” he added.

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The first pope to address the US Congress -

On September 24, 2015, Pope Francis made history by addressing the US Congress. He was the first pope ever to do so.

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The first pope to address the US Congress -

"Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives," the pontiff said.

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The first pope to meet with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church -

In 2016, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox church, met in Cuba. The historical encounter was the first in history since the Eastern Orthodoxy split with Rome, nearly 1,000 years ago.

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The first pope to wash the feet of women in the Maundy Thursday service -

In 2013, Pope Francis broke convention while celebrating the Maundy Thursday service at Casal del Marmo, a youth prison on the outskirts of Rome. This was the first time women had taken part in such a ceremony.

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The first pope to appoint a woman to lead a department of the Roman Curia -

In 2025, Pope Francis appointed Sister Simona Brambilla, an Italian nun, as the first woman to lead a major Vatican office, naming her prefect of the department overseeing all religious orders within the Catholic Church.

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The first pope to make the cover of Rolling Stone -

On February 13, 2014, Pope Francis made history by becoming the first pope ever to make the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

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The first pope to visit Myanmar -

Pope Francis was the first pontiff to make a number of historical visits. Pope Francis visited Myanmar in November 2017, where he held a massive open-air mass in Yangon. Francis was the first pope in history to visit the nation.

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The first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula -

Another historical visit was to the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam. Francis visited Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates on February 3, 2019.

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The first pope to visit Iraq -

Between March 5 and 8, 2021, Pope Francis visited several cities in Iraq, including Baghdad, Ur, Mosul, Najaf, Qaraqosh, and Erbil. Pope Francis met with Christian groups as well as representatives of other religions.

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The first pope to visit Mongolia -

Pope Francis was the first pontiff ever to visit Mongolia, back in 2023. The East Asian nation has a small Catholic community of around 1,500 people.

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The first pope to visit Corsica -

Another historical papal visit took place in December 2024. Pope Francis visited the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean.

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The first pope to meet with his predecessor for lunch -

In March 2013, Pope Francis had lunch with his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. This was the first time two popes met for lunch.

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The first pope to publish an autobiography -

Pope Francis was the first pontiff in history to publish an autobiography. The memoir was originally intended to be released posthumously, but the pope decided to release ‘Hope: The Autobiography’ in the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

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The first pope to give an in-depth interview to a US broadcast network -

In 2024, Pope Francis gave an exclusive in-depth interview to CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell.

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The first pope to hold a canonization mass in the US in honor of Junípero Serra -

Pope Francis held a canonization mass in honor of 18th-century missionary Junípero Serra, the man who brought Catholicism to the American West Coast.

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The first pope to hold a canonization mass in the US in honor of Junípero Serra -

The decision to canonize the first Hispanic saint in the US was a controversial decision. Native American groups, for instance, have protested the canonization of Serra, who they accused of oppression.

Sources: (CNN) (The Guardian) (BBC) (NPR) (Euro News)

See also: Slaves who became Catholic saints

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