One year ago Thursday, a relatively obscure prelate from Argentina made his debut as the new leader of the world’s oldest Christian church, stepping out onto the fabled balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square and joking that his brother cardinals had gone to “the end of the earth” to find a pope.

For an institution legendary for taking itself rather seriously, that flash of humor alone communicated that this wasn’t going to be your grandfather’s kind of pontiff.

By taking the name “Francis,” the new pope awakened images of St. Francis, the beloved poor man of Assisi. He then knelt to ask the crowd to pray for him before imparting his official blessing, seemingly inaugurating a new era of papal humility.

It was, as we know now, only the beginning.

SEPANG, Malaysia — Malaysian authorities now believe that a jetliner missing since Saturday may have radically changed course around the time that it lost contact with ground controllers, news that added to the air of confusion and disarray surrounding the investigation and search operation. But they gave conflicting accounts of the apparent course change and of what may have happened afterward.

As criticism mounted of the Malaysian authorities’ inability to find any trace of the jet, they have repeatedly insisted that they were doing their best to solve the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, with scarce data and almost no precedent. Yet the government and the airline have also released imprecise, incomplete and sometimes inaccurate information, with civilian officials sometimes contradicting military leaders.

Malaysian authorities now believe that a jetliner missing since Saturday may have radically changed course around the time that it lost contact with ground controllers.

The Patrick administration is looking to help more women gain entrance to the executive suites in government and private organizations.

The bacon craze has spread to cocktails, cupcakes — even ice cream.

As Russia tightened its grip on Crimea, Ukraine’s ousted president appealed to the country’s military units to refuse to follow the orders of the new interim authorities.

As the bacon cooks, the rendered fat mixes with the sugar, which liquefies in the heat, creating a thin coating similar to toffee.

Senator Dianne Feinstein delivered an extraordinary denunciation of the CIA, accusing it of withholding information about its treatment of prisoners.

The number of Syrian children affected by the civil war in their homeland has doubled in the past year to at least 5.5 million — more than half the country’s children.

The Boston company is shifting its emphasis — and its advertising — toward more-profitable financial services.

At the Newton bistro one knows what to expect: a great meal, consistently.

David Jolly won the seat in a hotly contested swing district, giving the GOP an expensive triumph in its fight against the president’s health care plan.

Darina Allen has been called the Julia Child of Ireland by everyone from the San Francisco Chronicle to WGBH for good reason.

The stand will join the Yawkey Way food court that is the centerpiece of a deal with the BRA.

Terrianne Koepp, known as Miss Terri to legions of fans who come year after year to Ioka Valley Farm, is the Hancock facility’s high priestess of maple syrup.

Military officials and lawyers for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair began their first full day of negotiations on a plea agreement that would end the sexual assault case against the general.

The monthly Tasty Books for Hungry Readers at Melrose Public Library is a food-focused book club.

Kitty Genovese’s screams for help couldn’t save her on the night she was murdered outside her apartment in 1964. Fifty years later, those screams still echo.

Thw two companies are combining in a $1.8 billion deal that will create the nation’s fourth-largest men’s wear retail chain.

Author Erica Bauermeister explains she paired “The School of Essential Ingredients” with a food that would “help them — evoke a memory, spur a life change, heal a sorrow.”