On the morning of Easter Monday, the 21st of April, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, commonly known as Pope Francis, died from a stroke followed by heart failure at his residence in Santa Marta in Vatican City. Since 2013, he had been the head of the Roman Catholic Church, bringing revival and restoration during his 12-year papacy. Pope Francis inspired many and was, in turn, inspired by many, maintaining a humble lifestyle despite the fame that came with his position.
While we mourn his death and prepare to receive another Pope, here are some interesting facts about the celebrated Pope Francis that you probably did not know.
#1 Francis Is Not His Real Name
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina. He was named Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Once he was elected as Benedict XVI’s replacement, he chose the name Francis in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived a life of service to the poor, and St. Francis Xavier, a founding member of the Jesuits. Emulating two men whom he admired and longed greatly to emulate, he took on their first name as his. This made him the first Francis to be a Pope among all the 266 popes before him. The Pope greatly admired St. Francis of Assisi because he was a man of poverty and peace, and he loved creation, all things that Francis too embraced fully during his life.
#2 Pope Francis Once Worked as a Bouncer
In his early years, the Pope worked as a bouncer and a floor sweeper before becoming a chemical technician.
#3 He Defied His Mother
Like most mothers, Pope Francis’s mom wanted greatness for her son. She wanted him to study medicine and most probably become a celebrated doctor, but after his encounter with God during confession, he threw medicine to the wind and decided, at age 17, to become a priest. His mother, who was Catholic, didn’t want him to become a priest, but eventually, she accepted his vocation.
#4 Pope Francis Owned a Lamborghini
A 2018 Lamborghini Huracán was built just for the Pope, with specific customisations just for him, like the gold and white colouring. The next year, this Huracán, with a 5.2-litre V10 engine and a top speed of 198 mph, was sold for 715,000 euros. This was more than three times its original price. The Pope then donated this money to charity.
5 He Used Public Transport
The Pope wasn’t one to set himself above others; he advocated for fair treatment for all and acted in a way that did not put him above those he served.
In 2008, long after he was elected Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was seen taking a public train to a celebration in the city’s Metropolitan area. Instead of using the papal limousine, he took the bus with the other cardinals. Sometimes he chose to walk to his destination rather than being transported by one of his many existing vehicles.
#6 Pope Francis Did Not Earn a Salary
Pope Francis did not earn a salary, refusing to accept the Pope salary of $32,000 per month to which he was entitled. Instead, he chose to donate it to those in need or to pass it on. This further emphasises the immense size of his heart and the ‘humili-tea’ in his breakfast cup.
#7 Pope Francis Was an Environmentalist
Pope Francis used his leadership position to advocate for environmental preservation and spread awareness of climate change. Brian Roewe, an environmental correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, mentioned that Pope Francis, during his papacy, made ecological concern a cornerstone, both non-negotiable and of value to a life of virtue. “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” is the Pope’s encyclical.
This papal teaching document discourages the ‘throwaway culture’ while highlighting the need for the Church to be keen about greenhouse gases and their impact on climate change. His advocacy was, and still is, much appreciated, with diplomats from bodies like the UN citing him in speeches and, most evidently, in negotiations that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement.
In a quote from Laudato Si’, the Pope says, “I have realised that our responses have not been adequate, while the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point…” He further mentions that “there are no lasting changes without cultural changes, without a maturing of lifestyles and convictions within society, and there are no cultural changes without personal changes.”
#8 Pope Francis Believed in Unity
The Pope sought to promote world peace and inter-religious dialogue, with one of the ways being prayer with the Israeli and Palestinian presidents for peace, visiting African countries with the aim of bringing Christians and Muslims together, and in 2023, he spearheaded the peace pilgrimage to South Sudan.
#9 Pope Francis Spoke 7 Languages
He spoke fluently his native tongue, Spanish, in addition to Italian, the Vatican City’s official language, in which he is fluent. He also spoke German, French, Latin, Portuguese, and English.
#10 Pope Francis Hated Surrogacy
On January 8th, 2024, Pope Francis called for a global ban on surrogacy, claiming that it “represents a grave violation of the dignity of women.” Surrogacy is an arrangement between two parties, where one of them (a woman) agrees to carry and deliver a child on behalf of the other (the mother or both parents). Surrogacy can become complicated, especially when surrogate mothers grow too attached to the child they carry and then refuse to relinquish the child; some experience exploitation, all of which the Pope regards as human rights abuses.
Pope Francis saw the negative side of surrogacy, thus forming his strong views against it. However, some mothers are unable to bear children due to their bodies’ limitations or because of their husbands’ limitations. So, as much as the Pope was against this, he needed to see both sides of the equation before rashly declaring a ban.
The Pope was a very expressive, outspoken, humble, and firm leader. Not all he did was praised, but one thing we could all agree on is that his life was the perfect reflection of excellence. He showed no racial discrimination or classism and never allowed pride to creep in. May his legacy continue to live on.
