Vatican City: On December 13, Pope Francis marked the 55th anniversary of his ordination as a priest. At the age of 19, the young Jorge Mario Bergoglio, later known as Pope Francis, had a transformative experience during the sacrament of confession, which led him to discern God's calling. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio initially pursued a career in chemistry before feeling a divine pull toward the priesthood. On March 11, 1958, he entered the Jesuit order to begin his theological and philosophical studies.

After years of academic training, Bergoglio went on to teach literature and psychology at various institutions starting in 1964. On December 13, 1969, he was ordained as a priest by Monsignor Ramón José, the Metropolitan of Cordoba. At that moment, neither Bergoglio nor those present at the ceremony could have foreseen that he would one day be elected as the Pope of the global Catholic Church.

In 1973, Bergoglio was appointed Provincial Superior of the Jesuits in Argentina, and in 1992, he became Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires. Throughout his rise in the church hierarchy, his life became a powerful testament to humility and mercy. Pope Francis often likens his calling to that of Saint Matthew, emphasizing how God's grace reached out to him despite his own imperfections. In multiple interviews, he has reflected on his priesthood as a result of God's grace, acknowledging that it was not his own merit, but God's hand that guided him to this sacred vocation.