Pope Francis I, or just Pope Francis?

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Alma

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The name of our new Pope as it was announced, is ‘Francesco’ (Francis).

But then in the media they started calling him ‘Francesco I’ (Francis the first).

I understood it is only if some day in the future another Pope chooses the name ‘Francesco’, that he would bie ‘Francesco II’ and our actual Pope would be called ‘Francesco I’ (Francis the first), but not before that.

Does anyone know if there is an official norm for that?

Thank you!!

Alma
 
Alma said:
The name of our new Pope as it was announced, is ‘Francesco’ (Francis).

But then in the media they started calling him ‘Francesco I’ (Francis the first).

I understood it is only if some day in the future another Pope chooses the name ‘Francesco’, that he would bie ‘Francesco II’ and our actual Pope would be called ‘Francesco I’ (Francis the first), but not before that.

Does anyone know if there is an official norm for that?

Thank you!!

Alma
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Just Pope Francis until another pope chooses Francis. It was the media that gave him the Roman numeral prematurely.
 
I don’t think there is, or you’d have had some Vatican flunkey issuing a statement correcting everyone and citing chapter and verse by now.

But yes, it is usual not to include a number for Kings, Queens, Popes etc who are the first to bear their particular name - I’ve never heard Kings Stephen or John of England referred to as Stephen I or John I, nor Queens Victoria of England, or Wilhelmina, Juliana or Beatrix of the Netherlands, nor Pope St Fabian referred to as Fabian I.
 
Now the question is which St. Francis he chose to take the name after. Many are thinking St. Francis Xavier since he is a Jesuit, but others have opined St. Francis of Assisi and even St. Francis de Sales. Perhaps all 3?
 
larsont7 said:
Now the question is which St. Francis he chose to take the name after. Many are thinking St. Francis Xavier since he is a Jesuit, but others have opined St. Francis of Assisi and even St. Francis de Sales. Perhaps all 3?
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I thought I heard that the Vatican is saying St. Francis of Assisi.
 
larsont7 said:
Now the question is which St. Francis he chose to take the name after. Many are thinking St. Francis Xavier since he is a Jesuit, but others have opined St. Francis of Assisi and even St. Francis de Sales. Perhaps all 3?
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Indeed. The real real question is does it actually matter?
 
Just Francis

Now Pope Luciani DID choose to call himself John Paul the First… some believe he knew his time would be short and he would have a tremendous successor
 
larsont7 said:
Now the question is which St. Francis he chose to take the name after. Many are thinking St. Francis Xavier since he is a Jesuit, but others have opined St. Francis of Assisi and even St. Francis de Sales. Perhaps all 3?
Click to expand...
My money’s on all three.:twocents:
 
Since no other Popes are named Francis, I’ll go with Francis.

The media tends to think there has to be a Roman numeral tacked on. It adds drama.
 
LilyM said:
Indeed. The real real question is does it actually matter?
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I don’t think it matters at all. But I do like the idea of a Jesuit choosing Francis of Assisi. It shows he has layers. 🙂
 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis

Apparently the Vatican has confirmed that ‘the First’ (or the roman numeral ‘I’) is not part of the official title of the Pope.

Also, the Pope is named after St Francis of Assisi - Cardinal Dolan has confirmed this (I watched the video clip referenced in the wiki article as well) as he was told this personally by Pope Francis. So not Francis Xavier.
 
I too am glad Pope Francis took that name because of Francis of Assisi - I think it shows “layers” also. 🙂 From what I have heard about the new pope so far, St. Francis of Assisi might have been a role model for him! (Not to say the other St. Francis’ aren’t absolutely wonderful as well!)

As far as the Roman numeral goes, I’m sure it was helpful for any folks who didn’t realize there had never been a Pope Francis before, but probably within a day or so that won’t be an issue…even for the media :rolleyes:
 
LilyM said:
Indeed. The real real question is does it actually matter?
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We’re just trying to get to know and understand our new Holy Father, the man that our Lord has chosen to be Peter among us and to shepherd us. Part of this includes his spirituality and what Saints have helped and influenced him, so, yes, it does matter. It may indicate a special focus and thrust of his Petrine Ministry. And this zeal we have to know our new Pope doesn’t deserve any negative or snarky comments. Perhaps you didn’t intend to come across that way, I hope.
 
vatican.va/ spells it out 🙂

And here we read:
qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum
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Notice the difference with Pope John Paul I.

In short: in John Paul I’s election, the numeral primi (the first) was used but in Pope Francis’ election, no numeral was uttered (Cardinal Tauran simply gave the papal name as Franciscum).

If I have to take a wild guess, I think it depends on the answer given to the question: “by which name do you wish to be called”? I assume he simply said Francis 🙂
 
Francis is my middle name, and I feel a strong connection to St Francis of Assisi. I love the Pope’s name.
 
larsont7 said:
Now the question is which St. Francis he chose to take the name after. Many are thinking St. Francis Xavier since he is a Jesuit, but others have opined St. Francis of Assisi and even St. Francis de Sales. Perhaps all 3?
Click to expand...
I think all three are relevant to the New Evangelization.

And if you can’t figure out what Paco is the nickname for…
 
No “the first” (yet). Although John Paul I did use “the first” from the beginning…this was a highly unusual move, and perhaps, in hindsight, a bad omen. He may have thought as much…because when they told him there couldn’t be a “first” until there was a “Second”, he replied that it would come soon enough.
 
bevsue said:
I too am glad Pope Francis took that name because of Francis of Assisi - I think it shows “layers” also. 🙂 From what I have heard about the new pope so far, St. Francis of Assisi might have been a role model for him! (Not to say the other St. Francis’ aren’t absolutely wonderful as well!)

As far as the Roman numeral goes, I’m sure it was helpful for any folks who didn’t realize there had never been a Pope Francis before, but probably within a day or so that won’t be an issue…even for the media :rolleyes:
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Do you have a link to that video?
 
It is just Pope Francis. There has to be a second to be before he is called the first
 
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