A beautiful encounter in pictures and in words with Pope Francis, from his early life to those anxious days when the Church awaited its new pope, to the joy of his election and the days that followed. From the Foreword by Cardinal Sean O'Malley

On March 13, 2013, the world waited in hushed anticipation for the announcement of the new Successor of Peter and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. For weeks the news had been filled with discussions and speculation of leading papabili. Now, finally, the new pope would be revealed.

But when Jorge Mario Bergoglio appeared the world was momentarily stunned. Who was this humble Cardinal from Argentina who emerged onto the loggia, choosing the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi?

In Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth best-selling author Thomas J. Craughwell explores the life of Pope Francis, including his birth and early years "at the end of the earth" in Argentina; his mystical experience as a teenager that drew him to religious life; his years as a priest and bishop with a heart for the poor and marginalized; and his unflagging courage to teach and defend the Catholic faith.

Pope Francis: The Pope from the End of the Earth includes over 60 full-color photographs, a fascinating in-depth biography, Foreword by Cardinal Sean O'Malley, first homilies as Pope, and supplemental sections on Catholic beliefs, practices, and traditions.

This beautifully-illustrated volume will answer your questions about the humble Cardinal from Argentina who has ascended the throne of Peter and stepped onto the world stage. And it will remind you always of this historic event the election of the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name Francis, the first brought to Rome from the end of the earth.

Thomas J. Craughwell is author of more than forty books. Among them are, Saints Behaving Badly (Doubleday, 2006), Popes Who Resigned (TAN Books, 2013), and the forthcoming St. Peter's Bones (Image Books, 2014). Craughwell's book Stealing Lincoln's Body (Harvard University Press, 2007), has been adapted into a History Channel documentary. Craughwell's articles have been printed in many journals and newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Inside the Vatican, and Our Sunday Visitor . A popular speaker, Craughwell is a Catholic Courses lecturer and has appeared on EWTN, CNN, and Ave Maria radio to discuss saints, the canonization process, and Catholic history. He writes out of his home in Bethel, Connecticut.