Titles, Honours, and Eponyms of Pope Francis

Image Credentials: Image Title: Titles, Honours, and Eponyms of Pope Francis Source: AI-Generated Image (Grok, xAI) Date: April 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (Grok, xAI), and it does not depict a real-world scene.

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has been recognized globally for his leadership of the Catholic Church and his contributions to interfaith dialogue, humanitarian efforts, and social justice. In addition to ecclesiastical titles, he has received numerous national and international honours, awards, and cultural dedications.

Titles and Styles

The official form of address for Pope Francis in English is His Holiness Pope Francis. Among other honorifics commonly used are Holy Father, a traditional term of reverence for the Bishop of Rome. These styles are part of a long-standing tradition of papal protocol and diplomacy.

Foreign Orders and National Honours

Pope Francis has received several decorations and honours from various countries:

• Bolivia:

  • Grand Collar of the Order of the Condor of the Andes (9 July 2015)

  • Order of Merit “Father Luis Espinal Camps” (9 July 2015)

• Poland:

  • Order of the Smile (26 April 2016), an international award given by children.

• United States:

  • Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction (11 January 2025), the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Awards and Recognition

Pope Francis has been the recipient of numerous international awards:

• Olympic Order (2013), awarded by the International Olympic Committee.

• International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen (2016), for his work promoting European unity and values.

• Person of the Year (2015) by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), recognizing his statements encouraging kindness to animals.

• Named an honorary Harlem Globetrotter (7 May 2015).

• Awarded an honorary black belt by World Taekwondo (2017).

• Recipient of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity (October 2020), for promoting global peace and coexistence.

• Medalha Mérito Legislativo, awarded by the Congress of Brazil (November 2021).

Indigenous Recognition

On 25 July 2022, following an apology to Indigenous peoples in Canada, Grand Chief Willie Littlechild of the Ermineskin Cree Nation gave Pope Francis the Indigenous name “Wapikihew”, meaning “White Eagle,” and presented him with a traditional Cree war bonnet in Maskwacis, Alberta.

Honorific Eponyms and Dedications

Several places, institutions, and artistic works have been named in honor of Pope Francis:

• Philippines:

  • The Pope Francis Center for the Poor, located in Palo, Leyte, was inaugurated on 12 July 2015.

• South Sudan:

  • H.H. Pope Francis Road in Juba was inaugurated in 2023 as a tribute from the South Sudanese people.

Musical and Artistic Dedications

• Ennio Morricone composed Missa Papae Francisci, a Mass dedicated to Pope Francis for the 200th anniversary of the restoration of the Jesuit order. It aired on Rai 5 and was attended by notable dignitaries, including former Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

• Ludger Stühlmeyer dedicated his choral and instrumental work Klangrede – Sonnengesang des Franziskus to the Pope (Suae Sanctitati Papae Francisci dedicat), performed by Capella Mariana on 4 October 2015.

• Pope Francis also appears as a character in the oratorio Laudato si’ by Peter Reulein (music) and Helmut Schlegel OFM (libretto), inspired by the Pope’s encyclical on the environment.

Scientific Dedications

• In 2016, the rodent species Oecomys franciscorum was named in honor of Pope Francis and Francisco Maldonado da Silva, a Peruvian-Jewish physician and martyr of the Inquisition.

References

• Vatican Press Office and national honors lists

• Olympic.org – Olympic Order recipients

• PETA – Person of the Year 2015 announcement

• Harlem Globetrotters official site

• World Taekwondo Federation awards list

• Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, 2020

• Brazilian Congress – Medalha Mérito Legislativo, 2021

• Rai 5 and performance recordings of Missa Papae Francisci

• Taxonomic journal description of Oecomys franciscorum

• Laudato Si’ Movement and oratorio details

Back to Pope Francis Portal

Open Chronicle Encyclopedia

Explore this subject

Continue exploring related Open Chronicle Encyclopedia entries through the categories associated with this article.

Pope Francis

Explore the Encyclopedia Library →