The Sistine Chapel, arranged for the conclave to elect a new pope which begins May 7, is seen at the Vatican May 6, 2025. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) Much has been made of Pope Francis being the first ...

Pope Francis was the first pontiff elected from the Society of Jesus — also known as the Jesuits.It's one of the most prominent religious orders in the Catholic Church, with approximately 15,000 ...

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis made history in 2013 as the first Jesuit pope and the first pontiff from a religious order in more than a century — the last being Pope Gregory XVI, a Camaldolese ...