Francis (Latin: Franciscus; Italian: Francesco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church, in which capacity he is Bishop of Rome and absolute Sovereign of the Vatican City State.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technician and nightclub bouncer before entering the seminary. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and was created a Cardinal in 2001 by Blessed Pope John Paul II.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March. He chose his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis is the first Jesuit Pope, the first Pope from the Americas, the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European Pope since Pope Gregory III in 741, 1272 years earlier.

Throughout his public life, both as an individual and as a religious leader, Pope Francis has been noted for his humility, his concern for the poor, and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and faiths. He is known for having a simpler and less formal approach to the papacy, most notably by choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace formerly used by his predecessors. In addition, due to both his Jesuitism and Ignatian aesthetic, he is known for favoring simpler vestments void of ornamentation, by starting to refuse the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had when he was cardinal.

Pope Francis has affirmed Catholic doctrine on abortion, contraception, and homosexuality. Whilst maintaining the church's teaching against homosexual acts, he has said that gay people should not be marginalized. As a Cardinal, the Pontiff opposed gay marriage in Argentina. In addition, he maintains that he is a "Son of the Church" regarding loyalty to Church doctrine, and has spoken against abortion as "horrific", insisted that women be valued, not clericized. Summarily, Pope Francis reiterates that "It is absurd to say you follow Jesus Christ, but reject the Church."

Accordingly, he urged Bishop Charles J. Scicluna of Malta to speak out against adoption by same-sex couples, maintained that divorced and re-married Catholics may not receive Holy Communion, and excommunicated a former Catholic priest for Eucharistic sacrilege and heretical views. Furthermore, he emphasized the Christian obligation to assist the poor and the needy in an optimistic tone, as well as promoting peace negotiations and interfaith dialogue.

Popular mainstream media frequently portray Pope Francis either as a progressive papal reformer or with liberal, moderate values. Western news outlets often seek to portray his message with a less-doctrinal tone of papacy in hopes of extrapolating his words to convey a more merciful and tolerant message. In addition, various media outlets indicate, perhaps without basis, that the Pontiff would officially change Catholic doctrine as part of the reform on the Roman Curia. In the news media, both faithful and non-believers often refer to a "honeymoon" phase in which the Pope has changed the tone on Catholic doctrines and supposedly initiated ecclesiastical reform in the Vatican, a position often publicly disputed and negated by Catholic priests and apologists.

Mar George Cardinal Alencherry (Mar Geevarghese Bava), is the current Major archbishop of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamali. He was created a Cardinal of the Catholic Church and the titular Archpriest of San Bernardo alle Terme in Rome on 18 February 2012 in Rome. Elected by the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Holy Synod, and ratified by Pope Benedict XVI, Mar George Allencherry is the current Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church succeeding Mar Varkey Vithayathil.

Mar George Cardinal Alencherry (Mar Geevarghese Bava) was born on 19 April 1945 in the parish of Thuruthy in the from archdiocese of Changancherry as the sixth child of the ten children of Mr. Philipose and Mary Alencherry of whom two others are priests (Fr. Jose Alencherry and Fr. Francis Alencherry, SDB) and one, a religious sister Sr.Cherupushpam, S.A.B.S.). Geevarghese is his baptismal name. Mar Alencherry had his primary schooling at St Mary's School, Thuruthy and secondary education at St Berchman’s High School, Changanacherry. He began his priestly formation in 1961 at the archdiocesan minor seminary at Parel, Changanacherry. While he pursued his studies in the minor seminary, he obtained his BA in economics with second rank from St Berchman's College. After the minor seminary studies he was sent to St Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva where he completed his philosophical and theological studies.

On 18 December 1972 Cardinal Mar Antony Padiyara, the then archbishop of Chanagancherry, ordained him priest at Marthu Mariyam Church, Thuruthy, for the archdiocese of Changanacherry. Later he continued his higher studies at the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy from where he obtained his master’s degree in first rank. While Mar Alencherry was pursuing higher studies at Aluva he served also as vicar of the filial church at Periyarmugham in the archdiocese of Ernakulam‐Angamaly. After completion of studies at Aluva, Alencherry was appointed as assistant vicar at the Cathedral church of Changanacherry and Director of the Archdiocesan Faith Formation department. Thereafter he served three years as secretary of the Commission for Catechism of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC). After his tenure in KCBC he was sent to Paris for higher studies. There he pursued his studies at Sorbonne University and the Catholic Institute from where he obtained his doctorate in biblical theology. On returning to India in 1986, Alencherry was appointed director of the pastoral Oriental Centre (POC) at Palarivattom and deputy secretary of KCBC. He served the Church in Kerala in that capacity until 1993. Simultaneously he had served also as professor at St Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor. He continued to teach at Vadavathoor until 1997. From 1994 to 1996 he was the protosyncellus of the metropolitan of Changanacherry.

The III Session of the XXXI Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church elected Fr. Mathew Nellikunnel CST Bishop of the Eparchy of Gorakhpur in the State of Uttar Pradesh. The formal announcement of this appointment was done at 12 noon Italian time on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at the Vatican, at 3.30 pm Indian time at the Major Archiepiscopal Curia at Mount St. Thomas Kakkanad. The Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry made the announcement of this appointment at a public meeting held in the presence of the members of the Synod at Mount St. Thomas at Kakkanad. The new bishop was vested with the insignia of the Episcopal Office by Cardinal Mar George Alencherry and the retiring Bishop Mar Thomas Thuruthimattam.

Fr. Mathew was born on 13 November 1970 as the first child of Varkey and Mary Nellikunnel hailing from St Mary’s Church, Mariapuram in the eparchy of Idukki. After the school studies, he joined the minor seminary of Khrist Jyoti Province, Punjab-Rajasthan of the CST Congregation and started the seminary formation. He did his First Profession in 1990 and the Final Profession in 1998. He was ordained priest on 30 December 1998 by Mar George Punnakottil, the Bishop emeritus of the Eparchy of Kothamangalam.

After Priestly Ordination, he served the CST Congregation in various capacities such as Assistant Novice Master, Rector of the Minor Seminary, Parish Priest, and School Manager. In 2005 he left for Rome for higher studies. After having secured Doctorate in Philosophy from Rome, he was appointed teacher at Little Flower Major Seminary, Aluva. Later, he undertook a three year term of pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Regensburg, Germany. In 2015, Fr. Nellikunnel was elected the Provincial of Khrist Jyoti Province, Punjab-Rajasthan. After the completion of the term in 2018, he was appointed Rector of the Little Flower Major Seminary. The call to be the shepherd of the Eparchy of Gorakhpur comes to him while serving as the Rector of the Major Seminary. The bishop-elect is proficient in many languages including English, Hindi and German and Italian. The details of the Episcopal Ordination are yet to decide. Mar John Nellikunnel, the Bishop of the Eparchy of Idukki, is the younger brother of the Bishop-elect.

It was in 1984 that the Eparchy of Gorakhpur was erected, Mar Dominic Kokkatt CST being its first Bishop. The retiring Bishop Mar Thomas Thuruthimattam CST assumed the responsibility of the Eparchy in 2006. It is with the satisfaction of the 17 years long of the pastoral ministry in the diocese of Gorakhpur, Bishop Thomas Thuruthimattam starts his retired life.

Most Rev. Thomas Thuruthimattam CST, the second Bishop of Gorakhpur,was born on 22nd of April, 1947 at Aruvikuzhy in Kerala. After the matriculation he joined the Little Flower Congregation (CST Fathers) on 8th June 1963 at Mookkannur. He made his first religious profession on 17th May 1965 and was ordained Priest on 21st December 1973. He spent first four years of his priestly ministry in the Sacred Heart Balanagar (Orphanage) at Mookkannur. Having served one year at Nautanwa Mission Gorakhpur, he was engaged in pastoral ministry in Augsburg, Germany for four and half years. He holds a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Catholic University of Leuven Belgium.

After his studies he served as the Chancellor of the Diocese of Gorakhpur and Secretary to the Most Rev.Bishop Dominic Kokkat CST.After one year of rectorship at the Diocesan Minor Seminary, Gorakhpur he was elected Finance Secretary and General Councilor of the Little Flower Congregation. Subsequently he served the Congregation as Rector of the Minor Seminary, Regional Finance Secretary, Councilor and Vicar Provincial of St. Thomas Province (CST). Later on he exercised pastoral ministry in France for eight years. Since 2003 till the time of appointment as the Bishop of Gorakhpur on 15th July 2006, Most Rev. Thomas Thuruthimattam CST was the Superior General of the Little Flower Congregation of the CST fathers.

Born on Ferbruary 23, 1932 at Vaikom in Kerala, young Joseph became a professed member of the Little Flower Congregation in 1953 taking the name Dominic. His major seminary formation and theological studies were at Papal Seminary, Kandy (Srilanka) and in Pune. He was ordained priest on October 4, 1960.He served his congregation in various capacities such as Vice Rector of the C.S.T. Philosophical Seminary-Alwaye, Principal-Technical School, Alwaye and Mission Superior in the CST Mission of Punjab.

He was also Assistant Secretary, CBCI-New Delhi from 1978 to 1982.He holds a Diploma in Social Work from the Coady International Institute, Canada. On October 4, 1984 he was ordained the first Bishop of the newly established Diocese of Gorakhpur and was installed its first Bishop on October 14, 1984. His deep concern for the poor and the marginalized has been a guiding factor for him to begin various apostolates in the diocese by which the downtrodden and the neglected could find their due place in the society. Therese of Child Jesus and having been impressed by the thrust of his Congregation, he founded in 1988 the Congregation of the Little Sisters of St. Therese (LST).In 2006 He became bishop emeritus after nurturing the local Church of Gorakhpur faithfully.The entire diocesan family of Gorakhpur offers Most Rev. Dominic Kokkat CST hearty congratulations and promises of continued prayers on the Occasion of the Silver Jubilee of his Episcopal Ordination and on the Beginning of the Golden Jubilee of his Sacerdotal Ordination.