A street in La Plata, Argentina has become the first road to be renamed in honor of Pope Francis, who succeeded Pope Benedict XVI on March 13.
A section of Avenue 53, which leads to the cathedral in La Plata, has been renamed “Papa Francisco” in honor of the Buenos Aires-born Pope.
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La Plata lies just about 40 miles south from the country’s capital. The town’s mayor, Pablo Buera, announced the decision in a televised ceremony:
We were moved by the appointment of Jorge Bergoglio as pope. We received many suggestions for places to be baptized in his name, but we chose this site because it is symbolic of the cathedral.
There may be more to come: According to the Global Post, people have already pushed to rename streets in the neighborhood where Pope Francis was born, as well as the school where he studied.
MORE: Why the Election of Pope Francis Is Important for Latin America
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