Francis without Roman numeral

Updated: Wednesday, 13 Mar 2013, 5:21 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 13 Mar 2013, 5:15 PM EDT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says the new pope's official name is Pope Francis, without a Roman numeral.

Spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi sought to clear up any possible confusion, noting that Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who announced the name to the world, said simply Francis. It is listed that way in the first Vatican bulletin on the new pope.

"It will become Francis I after we have a Francis II," Lombardi quipped.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Advertisement