Analyzes the historical significance of the election of Pope Francis by the conclave on March 13, 2013, after the surprising announcement of the resignation of Benedict XVI. The essay examines the consequences of the election to the papacy of a post-conciliar Argentine Jesuit, from the point of view of Church history, of the history of Christianity, and for the relationship between Church and politics on a global scale.
Keywords: Papacy, Church, religion, Vatican, secularization Parole chiave: papato, Chiesa, religione, Vaticano, secolarizzazione