Beneath the glorious frescoes in the Sistine Chapel applause erupted as it became clear that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio had reached the two-thirds majority required to be elected. Amid this life-changing moment his friend, the Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, whispered some advice: “Don’t forget about the poor.” The Pope later recounted: “And that’s how in my heart came the name Francis of Assisi.”

The figure of St Francis of Assisi is the key to understanding this pontificate. It is the first time that a successor of St Peter has chosen to name himself after Il Poverello, the saint known for his radical dedication to the Gospel. And the friar from Assisi also offers a model of Christian life that the Argentinian Pope, the first to come from South America, wants to hold up to the world.

On 3 October, the 83-year-old Jesuit pontiff will make a private visit to Assisi, where he will sign his new encyclical, Fratelli tutti. It’s no coincidence this trip is taking place on the eve of the saint’s feast day. This document will focus on human fraternity in a post-Covid context. At a time of growing polarisation, and coming in the middle of a brutal United States presidential election campaign, the Pope could well tackle fragmentation and division in the digital world.