Pope Francis, the first Latin American to command the Catholic Church, died on Monday (21). The Supreme Pontiff has been to the Holy See for 12 years.
Benedict XVI, his predecessor, was the first Pope in almost 600 years to resign from office for health reasons. Francisco was elected in the fifth round of Conclave voting on March 13, 2013.
Francisco was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, named Baptism Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
Son of immigrants from northern Italy, from the Piemonte region, Jorge was the oldest among the five brothers. His father, Mario Giuseppe Bergoglio Vasallo, was railway; The mother, Regina Maria Sivori Gogna, housewife.
His childhood was simple, being raised in the Flores neighborhood, where the club San Lorenzo, a soccer team, to which the Pope was a fan is headquartered.
Bergoglio graduated from Chemistry from Escuela Industrial Technique No. 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. Then he joined the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. In 1958, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.
The Argentine still spent a period studying in Chile, returning to his country to complete his degree in philosophy at the College of St. Joseph in San Miguel in 1963. Between 64 and 65 he was a professor of literature and psychology at the College of the Immaculate of Santa Fe.
Bergoglio was ordained priest on December 13, 1969.
The Society of Jesus was founded in 1540 by the Spanish Ignatius of Loyola. Today, the Jesuits are in 112 nations and six continents, working in education (founding schools, colleges, universities and seminars), intellectual research and cultural activities. Francisco was the first Pope of the Order.
From 1973 to 1979, Bergoglio served as the provincial of the Jesuits of Argentina. In 1980 he assumed the rectory of San Miguel’s Faculty of Philosophy and Theology, acting in office until 1986.
In his service as a priest, Bergoglio acted close to the poorest and vulnerable. He stood out in Argentina and in 1998 Cardinal Antonio Quarracino succeeded as Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
On February 21, 2001, Bergoglio was ordered Cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
He remained a simple man, and even cardinal continued to use public transportation.
Between 2005 and 2011, Bergoglio acted as president of the Argentina Episcopal Conference.
Pope Francis
The Pope was the first to choose the name of St. Francis of Assisi to symbolize his papacy. The saint became known for his simplicity, beware of animals and, above all, for the attention to the poorest and vulnerable.
Even in the head of the Holy See, the Pope continued to maintain a simple life, choosing to use, for example, a crucifix and a silver ring instead of gold deeds.
At the head of the Holy See, Francis led renovations and a process of opening the Catholic Church for more progressive ideals.
Francis sought to strengthen the presence of women in higher posts of the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. He preached diversity and approved that priests bless homosexual couples and their children. It did not approve, however, the officialization of holy marriage – marriage – for same -sex people.
The Pope advocated for peace – having repeatedly asked for the end of the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and seeking to throw light on conflicts for Africa – and social dignity, criticizing economic models that promote inequality. I often used Angelus’ prayers to talk about such matters.
In the meditations he wrote to be read last Friday (18), on Via Sacra, at the Colosseum of Rome, Pope Francis criticized “the economy that kills”.
And in his last public appearance, the pontiff said the situation in Gaza was “dramatic and deplorable.” The Pope also asked the Palestinian militant group Hamas to release the remaining hostages and condemned what he called a “worrying” trend of anti -Semitism in the world.
“I express my proximity to the sufferings… of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” the message said.
In recent years, the Pope has also used a wheelchair due to knee and back pain. During hospitalization, he continued with physical therapy to help with mobility.
Earlier this year, the Argentine pontiff underwent episodes of breathing difficulties. He was hospitalized for almost 40 days at Gemelli Hospital and was discharged on March 23. Then the Pope received a diagnosis of pneumonia in both lungs, a condition that can ignite and heal the organs, making breathing difficult.
The Vatican described the Pope’s infection as “complex” and explained that it was caused by two or more microorganisms.
While in the hospital, the pontiff presented different health conditions, having worse followed by improvements.
During the hospitalization, Francisco suffered a “prolonged respiratory crisis similar to asthma” and needed blood transfusions due to a low platelet count associated with anemia.
Francisco died at 7:35 am (local time). The Pope’s death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Vatican’s Camerlengo.
This content was originally published in Veja Pope Francis’ life in photos on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
