“By complying with with protocol practice, Putin sent Pope Francis a congratulatory message. Moreover, Russian Ambassador to the Holy See Ivan Soltanovsky sent a congratulatory message to the pontiff as well,” the Kremlin said.

Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Maria Bergoglio, aged 76, was elected as the 266th Pope in the 5th round of voting in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace on March 12-13, 2013.

For the first time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, a Jesuit, who was also non-European priest, was elected as pontiff, and received, for the first time, the pontifical name of Francis.

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