Pope Will Be Known as Pope Francis, No Roman Numeral

We were having this very discussion in the newsroom before today’s 4 p.m. newscast. A few minutes ago the Vatican cleared up any confusion.

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.