21.04.2025 12:31
A young man standing at the door of nightclubs on the streets of Buenos Aires became the spiritual leader of one of the world's largest religious institutions. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis, drew attention throughout his life with his unconventional choices and simple lifestyle. Experiencing a spiritual transformation, Bergoglio joined the Jesuit Order in 1958. Here are some things you might be curious about Pope Francis...
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of Catholics and the President of the Vatican City State, has passed away at the age of 88. The Pope had been experiencing health issues since February and was hospitalized on February 14 with a pneumonia diagnosis. The Argentine Pope, who was the first person from Latin America to lead the Catholic Church, had held this position since 2013.
FROM THE BACK STREETS OF ARGENTINA TO THE VATICAN
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis, drew attention throughout his life with his unconventional choices and simple lifestyle. Born in 1936 in Buenos Aires to an Italian immigrant family, Jorge Mario Bergoglio worked in many different jobs during his youth. The most notable was his role as a bouncer in a nightclub. During the same period, he received chemistry education and also worked as a laboratory technician. Due to a serious pneumonia he contracted at a young age, part of his lung was removed.
SPIRITUAL JOURNEY DEEPENED BY THE JESUIT ORDER
After his time as a bouncer and in science, Bergoglio experienced a spiritual transformation and joined the Jesuit Order in 1958. After receiving intense education in religion, education, and philosophy, he was ordained as a priest. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was made a Cardinal in 2001. He stood out in the Catholic world for his deep spiritual wisdom, humility, and advocacy for social justice.
ENTERED INTO HISTORY
In 2013, with the white smoke rising from the Vatican after the Cardinal election, the world began to hear the name Pope Francis. He made history as both the first Pope elected from South America and the first Pope of Jesuit origin. The new leader, who took his name from Saint Francis of Assisi, presented a vision associated with poverty and environmental sensitivity.
COURAGEOUS DECISIONS AND REFORMS
Pope Francis's leadership was shaped by an approach that centered on people rather than traditional rules:
• His statement about LGBT+ individuals, "Who am I to judge?" resonated worldwide.
• Allowing divorced individuals to receive communion was groundbreaking for the Catholic Church.
• The "Laudato Si" document regarding climate change became one of the first comprehensive calls that brought together religion and environmental awareness.
• His campaigns for immigrants, the poor, and the marginalized made him one of the most humanitarian spiritual leaders of the modern age.
PLASTIC CHAIR INSTEAD OF GOLDEN THRONE
Francis stayed away from luxury palaces; he preferred to live in a modest guesthouse rather than the papal palace in the Vatican. His use of a plastic chair instead of a gold-embroidered throne during ceremonies became a symbol of his philosophy of simple living.
A BOUNCER LEFT, A DIVINE GUIDE CAME
Pope Francis was a leader who managed to touch the lives of ordinary people, transcending boundaries. This journey from a chemistry lab to the door of a nightclub, from there to church altars, and finally to the throne of Saint Peter will remain in memory as one of the most inspiring stories of our time.
Sources:
• The Guardian – Pope Francis: Life and Legacy
• AP News – First Latin American Pope Dies at 88
• Reuters – Vatican Confirms Death of Pope Francis