For over 400 years, until Pope John Paul II, we had only Italian popes. Did you know though, that we have had lots of non-Italian popes throughout the centuries?
Of course, St. Peter, the first pope, was Jewish and a Galilean by birth.
The first African pope was Pope St. Victor I. A north African by birth, he was elected to the see of Peter in 189 and died in 198. He was noted for settling a difference between the Western and Eastern Churches on the date for Easter. The West always celebrated it on a Sunday, whereas the East was celebrating it on the 14th of Nissan. It was established during his pontificate that Easter would be on a Sunday throughout the Church.
I recall during the time of the conclave that elected John Paul II that there was a good deal of speculation that there would be an African pope. I still expect that we may see the day in the not to distant future when this will occur, given the growth of the Church on that continent.
