Pope Francis is more popular than world leaders, the survey shows.

According to the poll by WIN/Gallup International, Pope was the most popular with Roman Catholics, of whom 85% said they had a favorable opinion of him, and among Jews (65%).

However, Pope Francis is also popular among more than half of protestants, as well as the majority of atheists and agnostics. The poll was conducted in 64 countries and covered around 1,000 people, BBC Russian Service reported.

As for the geographical distribution of sympathies, Francis is most popular among the residents of Latin and North America, as well as in the European Union (especially in Italy and Portugal).

The highest rating - 93% - Pope received from the residents of the Philippines, and the lowest - from Tunisia, Turkey and Algeria.

In Russia 46% is positive to Francis, and 9% is negative. In Ukraine, this ratio is 57% against 7%.

The majority of respondents in Azerbaijan said that almost nothing is known about the pontiff.

Pope Francis was born in Argentina and he is the first Latin American who headed the Roman Catholic Church. He is also the first Jesuit of the Holy See.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936 to Italian immigrants.

In his official biography it is said that he was ordained as a priest in 1969, then studied first in Argentina, then in Germany.