"Some people wanted to know why the Bishop of Rome
wished to be called Francis. Some thought of Francis Xavier, Francis De Sales,
and also Francis of Assisi. I will tell you the story. During the election, I
was seated next to the Archbishop Emeritus of São Paolo and Prefect Emeritus of
the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes: a good friend, a good
friend! When things were looking dangerous, he encouraged me. And when the
votes reached two thirds, there was the usual applause, because the Pope had
been elected. And he gave me a hug and a kiss, and said: “Don't forget the
poor!” And those words came to me: the poor, the poor. Then, right away,
thinking of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi. Then I thought of all the
wars, as the votes were still being counted, till the end. Francis is also the
man of peace. That is how the name came into my heart: Francis of Assisi. For
me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects
creation; these days we do not have a very good relationship with creation, do
we? He is the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man … How I would
like a Church which is poor and for the poor! " [Pope Francis to the Journalists, Sat
March 16, 2013]
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