Poland's President Bronislaw Komorowski and PM Donald Tusk sent congratulations to Pope Francis on his election to the papacy.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Wednesday evening became the 266th Pope after Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI's resignation last month and after five rounds of voting by 115 cardinal electors on 12 and 13 March 2013. He is the first pontiff from the Americas.

President Komorowski offered congratulations to the new pope on behalf of the Polish people and wished Pope Francis strength to perform a new mission which is very significant both for the Catholic Church and the entire world.

The Polish president said he received the news with joy.
“It is with great joy that I received the news of the selection of Your Holiness to the Holy See and can I, on behalf of the Polish people, offer the most sincere congratulations,” President Komorowski wrote on his website.

PM Tusk congratulated the new pontiff on his election and assured the pope about Poland's readiness to further consolidate ties and cooperation with the Holy See in defense of the Christian culture in Europe and worldwide.

Krakow Metropolitan Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz said in Rome that Polish cardinals will likely invite the newly elected Pope Francis to the World Youth Day in Poland and for the 1050th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland.

"We will ask him to come to the World Youth Day to Poland, after Rio de Janeiro," he said. "I hope he will not refuse," he said, adding added that Poland hoped to be granted the organisation of the event.
The 2013 World Youth Day will be held in Brazil. Poland will celebrate its 1050th anniversary of baptism in 2016.