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Jorge Mario Bergolio was born in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936 into an Italian immigrant family to Argentina. He entered the seminary on 11 March 1958 in the Society of Jesus and was ordained a priest on 13 December 1969. Father Bargolio received episcopal ordination as Archbishop of Buenos Aires on 27 June 1992 and he was created a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 February 2001. He was elected as the 266th pope on 13 March 2013 after a papal interregnum of 13 days following the retirement of Pope Emeritus Benedict. Cardinal Bergolio took the name of Francis, the first pope with that name, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope from Latin America. 
A set of four stamps released on 1 May 2013 included photographs of the pontiff in €0,70, €0,85, €2,00, and €2,50 values. The stamps were issued in sheets of 10 stamps. The values covered rates within Italy, to Europe, to the Americas, and to Oceania. In addition to the stamps, a folder with two first day covers (€15,00) and a postcard which reproduces L'Osservatore Romano's cover from 13 March 2013 (€3,90) were issued. The UFN also issued a stamp and coin card to commemorate the new pontificate. 
Italy and Argentina jointly issued stamps for the occasion with the Vatican. Italy issued an identical stamp in the €0,70 value only. Argentina issued the complete set of four Pope Francis stamps.

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