The death of Pope Francis at the age of 88 has shaken the entire world. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88. In recent weeks, his health had been a cause for concern — in February, he was hospitalized with double pneumonia. Despite his condition, the Pope continued his work from his hospital bed. He called the priest in Gaza to express his paternal support. This was just one example of his ongoing service and humanity.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires. From a young age, he felt that his life would be dedicated to serving God. This feeling came to him at 17, in the San José church in the Flores district, where he experienced “the mercy of God” and received “a divine revelation” about his path to the priesthood. At the time, he was engaged, but he broke off his engagement to devote himself entirely to religion. This church became particularly important to him, and until his election as Pope, he returned there every year to celebrate the Easter Mass.
Pope Francis was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and gradually moved up the ranks of the Church. In 2013, after Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, a conclave was convened, and after several hours of discussions and voting, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013. He was the first pope to choose the name Francis, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, who dedicated his life to helping the poor. This was a historic moment, as no new papal names had been used for over a thousand years.
