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Throwback Thursday: Happy Birthday Holy Father

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At right, Pope Francis is seen in a 2005 CNS photo when he was known as Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio. At right, the pontiff delivers his blessing during his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Dec. 16. The Holy Father turned 79 Dec. 17. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
At right, Pope Francis is seen in a 2005 CNS photo when he was known as Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio. At right, the pontiff delivers his blessing during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 16. The Holy Father turned 79 Dec. 17. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
The first full-length feature story on Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio appeared on The Catholic Telegraph's website one day before his election as pope. (Screenshot)
The first full-length feature story on Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio appeared on The Catholic Telegraph’s website one day before his election as pope. (Screenshot)

Today marks the 79th birthday of Pope Francis.

Now known and loved around the globe, just a few years ago the man born Jose Mario Bergoglio was a cardinal and Archbishop of Buenos Aires. While important to his See and his part of the world, as cardinal the man we now call pope didn’t make news often in the U.S.

The first reference to Cardinal Bergoglio in the The Catholic Telegraph’s records, isn’t seen until Feb. 11, 2013 and even then, he is only mentioned in a list of potential cardinal electors in the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI’s successor.

The first in depth look at the man came March 12, the day before his election, when TheCatholicTelegraph.com ran a Catholic News Service story reporting that Cardinal Bergoglio had finished second in voting during the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Francis blows out the candle on a birthday cake presented by a young member of the Italian branch of Catholic Action during an audience with the group at the Vatican Dec. 17. The pope celebrated his 79th birthday Dec. 17. (CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano, handout)
Pope Francis blows out the candle on a birthday cake presented by a young member of the Italian branch of Catholic Action during an audience with the group at the Vatican Dec. 17. The pope celebrated his 79th birthday Dec. 17. (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano, handout)

The next day, the world met Cardinal Bergoglio under a different name — Pope Francis.

A search for the pontiff’s surname “Bergoglio” on our website brings up just three pages of results and all but two of those stories came following his election. In the nearly three years since, Pope Francis has been a dominant headline maker. Searching “Pope Francis” brings up 68 pages of results.

Happy birthday Holy Father.

Welcome to The Catholic Telegraph’s edition of Throwback Thursday. Throwback Thursday is a weekly online feature wherein users of social media share an old photo or anecdote about times gone by. We use Throwback Thursday to highlight the history of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and our publication.

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