By Alvise Armellini

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Francis is a pope of many firsts: the first to use that name, the first from Latin America, the first from the Jesuit religious order. Since last week, he’s also the first pope to apologise for using foul language.

Francis was quoted by Italian media as using the Italian term “frociaggine”, roughly translating as “faggotness” or “faggotry”, in a closed-door May 20 meeting with Italian bishops.

The Vatican issued an apology, but after that, other Italian reports attributed more gay slurs to the pope, as well as chauvinist language associating women with gossip, in a separate meeting with Roman priests.

Friends of the pontiff and top Vatican watchers insist that what has possibly been the biggest…