Latest news with #Amalia
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Natalie Portman makes 'weird' realisation about the US after moving to Paris
Natalie Portman finds living in Paris "very different" from living in the US. The 43-year-old actress relocated to the French capital in 2014 and now finds it "weird" whenever she returns to the United Staes only to find that strangers don't greet each other like they do in Paris. She told Net-a-Porter: "I find the people here are actually incredibly friendly – you just have to know how to interact, so that we're not the ones being rude. Now, when I go back to the U.S., I'm like, 'Oh,' I would go into a store and not say hello to everyone there? It's weird. "I think we have an assumption that Western cultures are all the same, and kind of evened out by all this pop culture that everyone consumes. It's not true: it's extremely specific here, and the culture is very different in both deep and surface ways.' The 'Black Swan' star - who has son Aleph, 13, and eight-year-old Amalia with ex-husband Benjamin Millepied - enjoys the level of "privacy" that she has found living in Paris, and appreciates the way that French parents seem to have instilled manners into their children. She said: "They're very good at privacy here, 'I feel like the biggest compliment is 'elle est très discrète' ('she is very discreet'). All the kids that come to my house are, like, 'Bonjour Madame,' and give me the bise (cheek-to-cheek kiss). "And before they leave, they are, like, 'Thank you for having me,' and if I'm not nearby, they'll come and find me to say it. In terms of things to do, Natalie - who grew up in Long Island, New York - says that there is "always some incredible" event going on and do despite the sometimes "cold and grey" weather. She said: "There's always some incredible exhibit or concert or dinner party or writers in town — something fascinating and stimulating happening. And the frequent vacations are so clutch!"
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First Post
22-04-2025
- General
- First Post
Who is Amalia Damonte? Pope Francis' childhood sweetheart before he became a priest
As the world remembers Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, a lost chapter from the pontiff's life has resurfaced. Before devoting his life to the priesthood, the young boy, then known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, wrote a letter to his neighbourhood crush, Amalia Damonte, saying, 'If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest' read more Amalia recalled how one day (sometime in 1948 or 1949), young pope gave her a love letter that proposed a marriage,'If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest,' it said. Reuters Not all love is meant to be. Sometimes, when it ends, it pushes you toward something much bigger. Long before he became the spiritual head of over a billion Catholics, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio—a quiet boy from Buenos Aires with a soft spot for the girl next door. He once wrote her a love letter and told her, quite seriously, that if she didn't marry him, he'd become a priest. He meant it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That 12-year-old boy grew up to become Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Catholic Church. The 88-year-old pontiff passed away on Easter Monday, just a day after delivering his final blessing from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica. He battled prolonged illness before he suffered a final cerebral stroke. As the world remembers him, it's worth going back to where it all quietly began—with a childhood crush that may have changed the course of his life. Love, rejection, & a higher calling As a 12-year-old boy growing up in the quiet Flores neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio fell for the girl next door—Amalia Damonte. Decades later, in an interview with the AP, 76-year-old Amalia recalled growing up with the boy who was elected the Pope in 2013. 'He had a crush on me, you know. We used to play on the streets here. It was a quiet neighbourhood then, and, well, he was very nice,' she said. Amalia Damonte at home in Buenos Aires. File image/ AFP Amalia recalled how one day (sometime in 1948 or 1949), young Jorge gave her a letter, a love note of sorts. 'I remember perfectly that he had drawn me a little white house, which had a red roof, and it said, 'this is what I'll buy when we marry,'' Amalia recalled. ''If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest,' he wrote.". 'Luckily for him, I said no,' she joked. 'These were childish things, nothing more.' This undated file photo made available by Maria Helena Bergoglio shows Jorge Mario Bergoglio as a teenager in Buenos Aires, Argentina. File image/ AP But not everyone saw it that way. Her parents were not amused. Speaking from her home, just four doors down from where the Pope once lived, Amalia said her mother stepped in to end the budding romance. 'My mom broke it off. Good Lord. She came to get me at school and said, 'So, you're getting letters from a boy?'' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From that point on, her parents kept them apart. The Bergoglio family eventually moved away from Membrillar Street. Amalia left too—marrying, raising a family, and later returning to her childhood home. She never reached out to her childhood friend again. But she followed his journey from afar, as he climbed the ranks of the Church, and eventually, became Pope Francis. From Buenos Aires to Vatican After his childhood romance came to an end, Bergoglio immersed himself in studies. He studied Chemistry before he chose the priesthood. He then eventually joined the Society of Jesus and became a Jesuit priest in 1969. Known for his quiet strength, simplicity, and advocacy for the poor, he soon emerged as a respected voice within the Church. In 1998, he was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and just three years later, he was made a cardinal. Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio gives a Mass outside the San Cayetano church where an Argentine flag hangs behind in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. File photo/ AP Then came the moment that would place him on the world stage. In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He chose the name Francis, in honour of St Francis of Assisi—the saint known for his compassion, simplicity, and love for the poor STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The news stunned many—including Amalia. 'I froze in front of the television,' she said. 'I couldn't believe that Jorge was the Pope!' Like millions across Latin America, she celebrated the election of the region's first pope. 'He is a good man, the son of a working-class family,' she said. 'I hope he can achieve all the good that he holds in his heart.' As Pope, Francis became known for breaking with tradition. He chose modest living quarters over the grand papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He washed the feet of prisoners and migrants, earning him the nickname 'the pope of the slums'. As Pope, Francis became known for breaking with tradition. He chose modest living quarters over the grand papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He washed the feet of prisoners and migrants. File image/ AFP The pontiff often spoke openly about climate change, inequality, and the need for a more inclusive Church. In his last message, he called for the end of the Ukraine war and peace in the entire world. 'There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others. Nor is peace possible without true disarmament! The requirement that every person provide for their defence must not turn into a race to rearmament,' Pope Francis said in his Easter message. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Who is Amalia Damonte? The woman to whom Pope Francis sent a love letter before priesthood; ‘If I do not marry you…'
Pope Francis, who was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, suffered a brain stroke and died on Monday at the age of 88. His demise has brought attention towards his adolescent romance when he fell in love with his neighbour. Jorge, however, suffered a heartbreak and decided to pursue a career as a priest. He eventually became the first Latin American Pope. During his reign, the Church's practices, operations, and discourse underwent substantial modifications. Born into a family of Italian immigrants, he spent his early and teenage years in the capital, where he finished his education and obtained a degree in chemistry. Over this time, he opted for several jobs, such as cleaning staff, chemical lab technician, and nightclub bouncer. He also had significant spiritual awakenings during this period, which motivated him to seek the priesthood. It is believed that a heartbreak affected his choice to become a priest. In conversations and books like 'On Heaven and Earth' and 'The Name of God is Mercy,' Pope Francis opened up about his desires in young age. He felt typical emotions like love and even wanted to start a family. Also Read: What happens to Pope's 'Fisherman's Ring' after his death? Will it be destroyed? He fell in love with Amalia Demonte, who lived four doors away in the Membrillar Street in Buenos Aires. Ten years later, Amalia appeared in an interview with the Associated Press and recounted that Jorge had sent a love letter to her, causing unexpected trouble to her. Amalia recalled a tiny wooden home with a red roof that Jorge had constructed for her, bearing the inscription, 'This is what I will buy when we get married.' 'If I do not marry you, I will become a priest,' read the young Jorge's love letter. In the interview, Amalia clarified that these were just thoughts of a youngster. Amalia's strict parents became furious when they found the love letter. She told reporters how her mother confronted her about getting letters from a boy and destroyed the wooden hut Jorge had built for her.
New Indian Express
21-04-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
'If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest': Young Jorge's heartbreak paved way to popedom
Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio brought a gust of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution that had grown weary and distant during the troubled reign of Pope Benedict XVI. His time as Pope would go on to transform how the Church spoke, acted, and connected - but long before that, his path to faith began with something far more personal. It started with a letter, a rejection, and a young boy's heartbreak. In the quiet neighbourhood of Membrillar Street in Buenos Aires, 12-year-old Jorge fell for the girl who lived just four doors down - Amalia Damonte. Decades later, in an interview with the Associated Press , Amalia remembered the letter he wrote her, one that got her into more trouble than she could have imagined. Damonte said, 'I remember perfectly that he had drawn me a little white house, which had a red roof, and it said 'this is what I'll buy when we marry.'' "If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest," wrote the young Pope. But as Amalia reflected, 'These were childish things, nothing more.' Still, the letter did not go unnoticed. Her strict parents were furious about the missive. 'My mom broke it off. Good Lord. She came to get me at the school and she said 'so, you're getting letters from a boy?'' After that, her parents did everything they could to keep them apart. The Bergoglio family moved away from Membrillar Street not long after. Damonte also left—she married, raised a family, and returned to her parents' home many years later. She followed her old neighbour's journey through the Church but never tried to reconnect. Born in the suburbs of Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, Francis grew up in a large, close-knit family. Before he chose the priesthood, he studied chemistry, according to Reuters . From the beginning of his papacy, Francis struck a significantly different tone. He emphasised humility over hubris, at a time when the Catholic Church was grappling with scandal and accusations of indifference. Francis, history's first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
New Indian Express
21-04-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
'If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest': Young Jorge's heartbreak paves way to popedom
Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio brought a gust of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution that had grown weary and distant during the troubled reign of Pope Benedict XVI. His time as Pope would go on to transform how the Church spoke, acted, and connected - but long before that, his path to faith began with something far more personal. It started with a letter, a rejection, and a young boy's heartbreak. In the quiet neighbourhood of Membrillar Street in Buenos Aires, 12-year-old Jorge fell for the girl who lived just four doors down - Amalia Damonte. Decades later, in an interview with the Associated Press , Amalia remembered the letter he wrote her, one that got her into more trouble than she could have imagined. Damonte said, 'I remember perfectly that he had drawn me a little white house, which had a red roof, and it said 'this is what I'll buy when we marry.'' "If I don't marry you, I'm going to be a priest," wrote the young Pope. But as Amalia reflected, 'These were childish things, nothing more.' Still, the letter did not go unnoticed. Her strict parents were furious about the missive. 'My mom broke it off. Good Lord. She came to get me at the school and she said 'so, you're getting letters from a boy?'' After that, her parents did everything they could to keep them apart. The Bergoglio family moved away from Membrillar Street not long after. Damonte also left—she married, raised a family, and returned to her parents' home many years later. She followed her old neighbour's journey through the Church but never tried to reconnect. Born in the suburbs of Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, Francis grew up in a large, close-knit family. Before he chose the priesthood, he studied chemistry, according to Reuters . From the beginning of his papacy, Francis struck a significantly different tone. He emphasised humility over hubris, at a time when the Catholic Church was grappling with scandal and accusations of indifference. Francis, history's first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
