Pope took name of Francis because it stood for 'poverty, peace' Pope Francis at the Vatican, March 13, 2013. VATICAN CITY, March 16 (UPI) -- The Catholic church's new leader, Pope Francis, says he chose the name of a 12th century priest in honor of the poor. Speaking to journalists at the Vatican, the pope said he decided to adopt the name of St. Francis of Assisi after a colleague told him "don't forget the poor" when the cardinals of the church selected him to succeed the retiring Pope Benedict XVI, the BBC reported Saturday. The 76-year-old pontiff, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, said he immediately thought of the Italian priest because he represented "poverty and peace." The pope was met with applause from staff and patients at a Rome hospital when he arrived Friday to visit with Argentine Cardinal Jorge Maria Mejia, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Mejia was in intensive care at the hospital after suffering a fainting spell. Pope Francis blessed three other patients in intensive care and then greeted a crowd of people in the lobby.