Pope Francis was named Person of the Year 2013 by theTime magazine for changing the perception of the Catholic Church in an extraordinary way within just nine months in office.

On the 77-year-old Pope, Time said his focus on compassion, along with a general aura of merriment not always associated with princes of the church, has made him "something of a rock star".

In a lifetime of teaching and leading priests in Latin America, which has the largest share of the world's Catholics, Bergoglio has shown a keen political sensibility as well as the kind of self-effacing humility that fellow cardinals value highly, says his official biographer, Sergio Rubin.

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Pope Francis speaks before the end of his pastoral visit at the parish church 'Santa Maria dell'Orazione' at Setteville di Guidonia neighborhood of Rome.

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