Latest news with #L'OsservatoreRomano
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vatican Hints at Pope Disagreeing With Vance During First Sit-Down
Vice President JD Vance finally got a sit-down with Pope Leo XIV a day after the pontiff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instead. Vance was in Rome on Sunday for Leo's inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square. Although Leo offered the vice president a quick greeting afterward and shook the vice president's hand, he only held private meetings with Zelensky and Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Sunday on whether Vance had sought a longer meeting with the new pope after their initial exchange lasted about 17 seconds. But on Monday, Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Leo for 'cordial talks' about bilateral relations, religious freedom, and international affairs, the Vatican's press office said in a statement. The statement said there had been an 'exchange of views on some current international issues,' which the Catholic News Agency took to be a reference to disagreements. 'I was humbled and honored to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural mass,' Vance said of the meeting Monday on X. 'We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God. I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry.' The Daily Beast has reached out to Vance's team for comment. According to the news outlet, the 45-minute audience—which was closed to reporters—began with a one-on-one between Vance and Leo, with Rubio joining afterward. Vance's wife Usha, Rubio's wife, Jeanette, and a larger U.S. delegation then joined for the customary exchange of gifts. Photos posted on Instagram by the official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano show they brought the first North American pontiff—who grew up in Chicago—a Chicago Bears jersey emblazoned with 'Pope Leo XIV' and a copy of a tome by St. Augustine, The Washington Post reported. Leo is a member of the Augustinian religious order, while Vance has written that St. Augustine inspired him to convert to Catholicism in 2019. After receiving Vance, Rubio and their wives Monday, Leo met with the president of Colombia, the prime minister of Australia, the president of Georgia, and various religious leaders from around the world, according to the Vatican. Since being chosen as Pope Francis' successor on May 8, Leo has taken a number of stances that contrast with President Donald Trump's administration policies, including calling for governments to build bridges and respect migrants, protect the environment and care for the poor. Before he became pope, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost shared multiple social media posts criticizing the Trump administration's immigration policies. One linked to a National Catholic Reporter op-ed headlined 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others,' while another took aim at the administration for deporting Venezuelan and Salvadoran migrants to a mega prison in El Salvador. American officials have tried to paint the administration as aligned with Leo's stated goals of using the papacy as a force for peace and help ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, according to the Post. But unlike Trump and his officials—who have repeated Kremlin talking points and even berated Zelensky in the Oval Office—Leo appears to be firmly on the side of Ukraine. On Sunday, his secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Leo had offered to use the Vatican for peace talks after Russian President Vladimir Putin blew off a planned summit in Istanbul, La Stampa reported. Vance also posted a smiling picture with Zelensky from a meeting Sunday. According to the Post, it will also be difficult for Trump and Vance to portray themselves as peacemakers as the administration authorizes billions of dollars in weapons sales to Israel, which has voted to capture all of Gaza and occupy the territory indefinitely. Last week, NBC News reported that the U.S. was working on a plan to permanently relocate up to 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya. The State Department denied the report, but Trump himself has said he wants to turn Gaza into the 'Riviera of the Middle East.'
AU Financial Review
23-04-2025
- Politics
- AU Financial Review
In Pictures: The world mourns Pope Francis
A nun holds a picture of Pope Francis as faithful gather for Rosary prayers in honour of the pontiff at the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome on April 22, 2025. Getty Nuns take part in the memorial mass held in honor of Pope Francis at Assumption Cathedral on April 22, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Getty A man holds a copy of a special edition of the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, announcing the death of Pope Francis at St Peter's square on April 22, 2025. Getty An image of Pope Francis is displayed on the altar as faithfuls arrange flowers at the St Maria Assumpta Catholic Church on April 22, 2025 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Getty Flowers, candles and a portrait of Pope Francis are seen at Santa Maria Catholic Church on April 22, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Pope Francis' body is laid out in state inside his private chapel in Santa Maria Catholic Church, in the Vatican, on April 22, 2025. AP Religious leaders pose for a photo near a portrait of Pope Francis at the end of an interreligious prayer service, in honour of the late pontiff in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AP Reverend Al Sharpton attends a mass for Pope Francis at St Patrick's Cathedral in New York on April 22, 2025. AP Egyptian priests light candles during a service for the late Pope Francis at Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Catholic Cathedral, in Cairo, Egypt. AP Priests hold a portrait for the late Pope Francis during a requiem mass at St George Cathedral in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. AP
NBC News
22-04-2025
- General
- NBC News
Pope Francis' death live updates: Viewing tomorrow ahead of Vatican funeral Saturday
What we know The world is paying tribute to Pope Francis, who rattled the Catholic Church's conservatives and inspired some progressives, following his death yesterday at the age of 88. Francis' death certificate, released by the Vatican overnight, said he died from a stroke that prompted irreversible heart failure. He had suffered a long series of health issues. Francis' body will be transferred to St. Peter's Basilica tomorrow morning for worshippers to pay their respects ahead of his funeral Saturday, the Vatican said. American Cardinal Kevin Farrell has become the acting head of the Vatican until the College of Cardinals chooses the pope's successor during the conclave that will follow his funeral. "He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized," Farrell said of Francis in a statement. In St. Peter's Square, visitors ponder the future of the church — and the world Reporting from Vatican City A few meters from the obelisk at the center of St. Peter's Square that symbolizes the eternal power of the church, visitors to the Vatican make their way out of St. Peter's Basilica and approach staff from L'Osservatore Romano, who are distributing special editions of the Vatican's daily newspaper. The special issue, released yesterday, commemorated Pope Francis on the day of his death. Among those picking up a copy is Milwaulk Anthony Navarrosa, a student priest from the Archdiocese of Cadiz in the Philippines. He came to the Vatican to see the body of Francis: 'It wasn't possible today, but I'll return tomorrow,' he says as he rolls up the newspaper in his hands. Navarrosa, who is currently writing his thesis on the pope's 2016 encyclical 'Amoris Laetitia,' recalls meeting Francis in 2021 and says he had hoped to meet him again. 'I'm not worried about the future of the church, because it is guided by the Holy Spirit,' he says. Show more Here's how the next few days will play out Tomorrow Pope Francis' body will be moved in a procession from the Chapel of the Santa Marta residence to St. Peter's Basilica tomorrow for public viewing. Cardinal Kevin Farrell will preside over the rite, which will start at 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) with a moment of prayer. Francis' coffin will then be carried in a procession that will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, exit through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter's Square and into the basilica through the central door. Patriarchs and cardinals, archbishops and bishops, canons and other priests will take part in the procession. Once there, his coffin will be placed facing the pews with the Paschal candle nearby, not on an elevated bier. After the liturgy, Francis will lie in state through Saturday. Saturday The funeral for Francis will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) in St. Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside at the funeral Mass. The pope's body will then be taken into St. Peter's Basilica and then on to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for entombment. Cardinals meet at the Vatican to plan pope's funeral Cardinals this morning held their first of what will be many daily meetings, cloistered away from the Vatican crowds as they firm up plans for Pope Francis' funeral, which will be held Saturday, and the ensuing conclave. The meetings — today's began at 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) and lasted around 90 minutes — will take place each day until the beginning of the conclave at which cardinals will elect the next pontiff. Video footage from Reuters shows various cardinals in traditional black cassocks arriving at the Paul VI Hall, filing past Swiss Guards wearing yellow, blue and red striped uniforms with morion helmets. The cardinals are greeted by an official who hands them dossiers. Inside an auditorium, many can be seen taking maroon leather seats and chatting, before standing to pray and begin the meeting. Show more Italy declares five days of national mourning The Italian government declared five days of national mourning that begin today and will last until Saturday, when Francis' funeral will be held outside St. Peter's Basilica. During national mourning, flags are flown at half-staff and schools observe a minute's silence, while government officials are obliged to cancel all their appointments. Lionel Messi pays tribute to Francis on Instagram Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi in a post on Instagram yesterday paid tribute to the pope, who was a lifelong fan of football, as well as a fan of Messi. The two met at the Vatican in 2013 during a private audience, where they appeared to exchange gifts. 'A distinguished Argentinian Pope,' Messi said in a caption under a photo of the two together. He added, 'RIP Pope Francis. Thank you for making the world a better place: we will miss you.' Francis and Messi both hail from Argentina, where all football matches scheduled for yesterday were postponed as a mark of respect for the late pope. Share Putin will not be in attendance at the pope's funeral Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in a press briefing today said 'there are no such plans' for Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend Pope Francis' funeral Saturday. He did not clarify whether the Kremlin had received an invitation to the service, adding that there was 'no decision yet' on who would represent Russia in Vatican City. Putin sent his 'most sincere' condolences to senior cardinals on the pontiff's death, the Kremlin said yesterday. Francis and Putin met three times in person, but ties between the two became strained after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the pope publicly chastising Patriarch Kirill of Moscow for supporting the war. Mourners from across the globe line up at St. Peter's Basilica A huge crowd is present today at St. Peter's Basilica as mourners from across the globe gather to pay tribute to Pope Francis. 'We left from Lecce yesterday as soon as we heard of the death of Pope Francis,' said Sister Francois Voahirana, 49, a member of the Congregation of the Disciples of the Sacred Heart. She was joined by four other nuns from the same congregation. 'After Easter, we thought he was doing better, we didn't expect his death. But he did so much in his life, so many wonderful things. He's finished his service, and now he will rest in the arms of Jesus,' she added. They were waiting their turn to enter alongside tourists from Canada, the U.S., Peru and the Philippines. Show more Share 'A dream come true': How Pope Francis helped one migrant settle in Italy In 2020, Grace Enjei fled war-torn Cameroon for Cyprus in hopes of eventually reaching Europe, and with Francis' help, eventually settled in Italy. Days after arriving in Italy, Grace was unexpectedly invited to celebrate Francis' birthday at the Vatican. Most Catholic country — after the Vatican — to fly flags at half-staff Mithil Aggarwal The president of East Timor, a predominantly Catholic Southeast Asian island nation north of Australia, said the pope's death was a tremendous loss for the whole world, not just Christians. Almost half of Eas t Timor's 1.3 million citizens — only Vatican City has a higher percentage of Catholics than East Timor does— attended a Mass that Francis presided over last year, when he became the first pope to visit after the country achieved independence from Indonesia in 2002. 'He leaves behind a profound legacy of humanity, of justice, of human fraternity, a tremendous loss for the world, not only for Christians,' President José Ramos-Horta told Reuters. Ramos-Horta said flags will be flown at half-staff for one week to mark Francis' death. Seals placed on doors of Santa Marta papal residence Mithil Aggarwal The doors of Pope Francis' apartment on the second floor of Casa Santa Marta and the papal apartment on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace were sealed last night with a red ribbon and wax. It's a ritual rooted in centuries of Catholic tradition, which formalized the end of Francis' pontificate and followed an official declaration of death which was validated by the Camerlengo, or the acting head of the Vatican, Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Who will be attending the pope's funeral? A number of world leaders have already confirmed their attendance at the funeral of Pope Francis that will be held Saturday. President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social yesterday said he would travel to Vatican City alongside first lady Melania Trump. He will be joined by the French President Emmanuel Macron, who confirmed his attendance to reporters yesterday. E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed her attendance today. In Francis' birth country of Argentina, President Javier Milei said within hours of the pope's death that he will attend the funeral service, while the Brazilian government said in a statement yesterday that President Lula Da Silva and first lady Janja Lula da Silva will make the trip to the Vatican. Middle Eastern leaders express their condolences Mithil Aggarwal In a rare moment of unity, leaders across the Middle-East expressed their condolences for Pope Francis. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun described Francis as a 'dear friend and strong supporter' of his country, who 'carried Lebanon in his heart and prayers.' Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian highlighted Francis' calls to end the war in Gaza, with Hamas also hailing pope's opposition to the war. Israel's President Isaac Herzog recalled Francis' prayers for peace in the Middle East, saying in a post on X, 'he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world.' Qatari leader Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Arabia's King Salman sent messages of condolences to the Vatican. Zelenskyy to attend Francis' funeral Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend Francis' funeral this Saturday with First Lady Olena Zelenska, his office told NBC News on Tuesday. Although the pontiff regularly called for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, which has a majority Orthodox Christian population, he angered Ukrainians when he last year called on Kyiv to have the courage of the 'white flag' and sue for peace with Russia. In a tribute to Francis on Monday, Zelenskyy said millions of people around the world were 'mourning the tragic news' of his passing. 'He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity,' he said in a post on X, adding, 'He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians.' Pope reflected on death in a book preface he wrote this year Mithil Aggarwal 'Death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something,' Pope Francis wrote in the preface for a new book by Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop Emeritus of Milan, titled 'Awaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age.' The preface, which was written early February, was released by the Vatican Publishing House and published in the Vatican News today. 'It is a new beginning, as the title wisely highlights, because eternal life—which those who love already begin to experience on earth within the daily tasks of life—is beginning something that will never end,' Francis wrote. 'And it is precisely for this reason that it is a 'new' beginning, because we will live something we have never fully lived before: eternity,' he wrote. China, which struck deal with Francis on bishops, offers condolences Reporting from Hong Kong China expressed its condolences over the death of Francis, who ended a decades-long dispute between the Vatican and Beijing by accepting seven bishops the Chinese government had named without the pope's consent. Critics of the 2018 deal accused the Vatican of selling out to communist China, where the government tightly regulates religious activity. The Vatican countered that it was important for improving relations with China, which is estimated to have as many as 12 million Catholics. 'In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive engagement, conducted useful exchanges, and the provisional agreement regarding the agreement of bishops between China and the Vatican is mostly implemented,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing today in Beijing. 'China stands ready to work with the Vatican for continued improvement of China-Vatican ties.' Guo did not say whether China had been invited to Francis' funeral or would send a representative. Show more Who's in charge of the Vatican right now? Mithil Aggarwal Kevin Farrell, an American cardinal, became the acting head of the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis. The Dublin-born cleric was naturalized as a U.S. citizen after spending many years in the country. Farrell was incardinated in the archdiocese of Washington in the 1984 and is the former Bishop of Dallas. Francis proclaimed Farrell a Cardinal in 2016 and, in 2023, appointed him as the president of Vatican's Supreme Court. Right now, the cardinal holds the position of chamberlain, or camerlengo, leaving him in charge of the administration and finances of the Holy See during the interregnum — the period between one pope's death and his successor's election. While he's also in charge of making the arrangements for the conclave, the poll of cardinals that chooses the next pope, his temporary position as chamberlain does not bar him from the papacy. Thousands gather in the Philippines to mourn Francis As bells tolled in churches around the Philippines, which Francis visited in 2015, thousands of worshipers gathered there to pray and reflect on the pontiff's legacy. 'As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many and inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us,' wrote Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the President of the Philippines, in a post on Facebook. Philippines is home to the world's third-largest Catholic population, with around 80% of the population identifying as Catholic, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Cardinal Luis Tagle there is among the leading candidates to succeed Francis. Japan, South Korea and India mourn Francis' death Reporting from Tokyo National flags were flown at half-staff today in Japan, which Francis visited in 2019. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Yoshimasa Hayashi, the government's top spokesperson, noted that during that trip Francis visited the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where the U.S. dropped atomic bombs at the end of World War II, and called for a 'world without nuclear weapons.' India, home to over 20 million Catholics, said it will also fly national flags at half-mast while declaring a three-day national mourning period. Seoul's Archdiocese said a memorial altar will be set up at the Myeondong Cathedral this afternoon for the public to pay tribute to Francis, who visited South Korea just a year into his papacy in 2014. Francis' funeral to be held this Saturday Pope Francis' funeral will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), the Vatican has said, with Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presiding over the funeral liturgy. The funeral Mass will be celebrated in the churchyard of the St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said, adding the pontiff's body will be taken to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial. Francis' body to be taken to St. Peter's Basilica tomorrow The coffin containing Francis's body will be taken to St. Peter's Basilica tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET), the Vatican has said. A procession will pass through Saint Martha's Square, then into Saint Peter's Square before entering the Basilica. Fiji archbishop recalls pope's 'vulnerability' on Papua New Guinea trip In a message of condolence, the archbishop for the Archdiocese of Suva in Fiji said he was 'touched by Pope Francis' ministry' while accompanying him on a visit last year to Papua New Guinea, another Pacific island nation. Francis made his historic Asia-Pacific trip despite concerns about his health and spent much of the visit in a wheelchair. 'He embraced his own vulnerability as he often asked people to pray for him,' Archbishop Peter Loy Chong said in a statement. Chong said Francis also 'gave a message of hope and challenge' to the people of Oceania, where climate change threatens some countries' very existence. 'He said, Oceania is far out in the ocean, distant from the rest of the world but at the center of God's heart,' Chong said. 'The Pope's care for the Ocean resonates with the scientific view that if we care for the earth, the ocean is the first ecosystem that we should protect.' Australian PM halts election campaign to mark pope's death Mithil Aggarwal Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the pope's death by pausing election campaigning and attending a Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne. 'The holy father was one of the most consequential leaders of this century and of our lifetime. He was, indeed, the people's pope,' Albanese, who was educated at Catholic schools, told reporters this morning as early voting began in the May 3 federal election. Government flags will fly at half-staff as a sign of respect, the Australian leader said. Body of Pope Francis displayed at the Vatican Images taken yesterday and released this morning, show Pope Francis in an open coffin at the Chapel of Santa Marta in the Vatican. Pope honored on Buenos Aires landmark In Pope Francis' birth country of Argentina, the obelisk of Buenos Aires was last night illuminated with a projection of the deceased pontiff bearing the phrase in Spanish that translates as 'pray for me.' Who will be the next pope? Here are some of the contenders Henry Austin Dust off the history books and there are papal conclaves with international intrigue, royal rigging and even riots, a checkered past that belies the air of sanctity and solemnity surrounding modern papal elections. The word 'conclave' comes from the Latin for 'with key.' It is a church tradition that began in 1268 with a papal election that lasted almost three years, ending only when the townspeople of Viterbo locked up the cardinals, tore the roof off their palace, fed them nothing but bread and water and threatened them until a new pope was chosen. While it is very unlikely the decision on Pope Francis' successor will take quite as long or be quite as contentious, Vatican watchers agree that the winner is not a foregone conclusion. 'The great joy of the conclave is that nobody really knows and it's such a unique electorate,' James Somerville-Meikle, the former deputy director of the Catholic Union of Great Britain, told NBC News before Francis' death. 'So many conclaves in the past have thrown up surprises.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pope Francis loved soccer, San Lorenzo and the sport's power to unite
FILE - The sun sets over San Lorenzo's stadium, Pope Francis' soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - Pope Francis holds a San Lorenzo soccer jersey after celebrating his first Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File) FILE - A man stands in front of a mural of Pope Francis outside the stadium of San Lorenzo, his soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - Pope Francis is presented with a San Lorenzo soccer team jersey by Colombian former player Ivan Ramiro Cordoba during the pontiff's weekly general audience in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, March 25, 2015. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, File) A rosary, messages, and emblems of the San Lorenzo soccer club, of which the late Pope Francis was a fan, are attached to a column of the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following his passing on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) The late Pope Francis is depicted on a mural alongside soccer player Lionel Messi at the Carlos Mugica neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) FILE - Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona, left, greets Pope Francis in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sept. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) FILE - A man walks past a mural of Pope Francis at the stadium of San Lorenzo, his soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - A man walks past a mural of Pope Francis at the stadium of San Lorenzo, his soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - The sun sets over San Lorenzo's stadium, Pope Francis' soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - Pope Francis holds a San Lorenzo soccer jersey after celebrating his first Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File) FILE - A man stands in front of a mural of Pope Francis outside the stadium of San Lorenzo, his soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) FILE - Pope Francis is presented with a San Lorenzo soccer team jersey by Colombian former player Ivan Ramiro Cordoba during the pontiff's weekly general audience in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, March 25, 2015. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, File) A rosary, messages, and emblems of the San Lorenzo soccer club, of which the late Pope Francis was a fan, are attached to a column of the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following his passing on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) The late Pope Francis is depicted on a mural alongside soccer player Lionel Messi at the Carlos Mugica neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) FILE - Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona, left, greets Pope Francis in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sept. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) FILE - A man walks past a mural of Pope Francis at the stadium of San Lorenzo, his soccer team, in the Padre Ricciardelli neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Pope Francis' passion for soccer was evident throughout his pontificate. A lifelong supporter of Argentine club San Lorenzo, he agreed with those who describe soccer as the most beautiful game in the world. But Francis, who died Monday at 88, also turned to the sport for anecdotes about camaraderie, fellowship and teamwork in an increasingly individualistic society. Advertisement 'Soccer is a team sport. You can't have fun alone,' the pope told a crowd of Italian youth, soccer players and coaches at the Vatican in 2019. 'And if it's lived like that, it can do good for your mind and your heart in a society that is exasperated by subjectivism.' Like most Argentine children, young Jorge Mario Bergoglio grew up with soccer. He played for hours with friends on sidewalks or dusty pitches known as 'potreros' in his native Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires. According to his own assessment, he was not that good. In his recently published autobiography 'Hope,' Francis said his skills were so poor that he was nicknamed 'hard foot.' Advertisement Like many in his family, he became a supporter of San Lorenzo, a club founded by priest Lorenzo Massa in 1908. Its fans are nicknamed 'the crows' due to the black cassock of its founder. As a boy, he became fascinated by the colorful style of play of the team that won the local title in 1946. Until his death he remembered the entire lineup. San Lorenzo won its first Copa Libertadores, the top club tournament in South America, in 2014 — a year after he became pope. The club's board of directors and a group of players took the trophy to the Vatican. Later, club executives decided to name their planned future stadium after Pope Francis, who until the end paid his dues to the club as member No. 88,235. Advertisement THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME? In an interview with Italy's RAI television in 2023, Francis weighed in on the debate about who is the greatest soccer player of all time. Asked to choose between his compatriots Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, World Cup winners from different generations, Francis' answer was unexpected. 'I will add a third,' he said. 'Pelé." He met the Brazilian great, a devout Catholic and three-time World Cup winner, before he was elected pope. Francis later met Messi and Maradona at the Vatican as pontiff. 'Maradona, as a player, was great. But as a man he failed,' Francis said about the 1986 World Cup winner, who struggled with cocaine use and health issues and died in 2020 at 60. Maradona was celebrated by people who in the end didn't help him, the pope added. Advertisement He described Messi, who lifted the World Cup trophy in 2022, as 'very correct' and a gentleman. 'But for me, among those three, the great gentleman is Pelé,' the pope said. In a message read during a tribute to Pelé in Rio de Janeiro a year after his death in 2022, Francis said 'many of the necessary virtues to perform a sporting activity, such as perseverance, stability and temperance, are also part of Christian virtues. Pelé was undoubtedly an athlete who manifested these positive characteristics of sport in his life.' THE WORLD CUP FINAL HE DIDN'T WATCH Despite being a big soccer fan, Francis didn't watch any games on television. He said he avoided watching TV altogether because of a promise he had made to the Virgin of Carmen in 1990. Advertisement The radio became his means to stay informed and listen to soccer matches until he moved to Rome. Once in the Vatican, members of the Swiss Guard, who took care of his security, informed him about San Lorenzo and Argentina match results. That's how he found out that Argentina had won their third World Cup title in Qatar after a penalty shootout against France. While he was enthusiastic about the game, he spoke out against the fanaticism and violence that sometimes overshadow it. He called on top-level players to show humility and always remember their origins. 'Don't forget where you came from. Those pitches in the outskirts, that place for prayer, that small club,' he said in the 2019 speech. Advertisement 'I hope you can always feel the gratitude for your story, which is made of sacrifice, victories and battles,' Francis added. 'Being great in life. That is the victory for all of us.' ____ AP journalist Mauricio Savarese contributed to this report from Sao Paulo. ___ AP soccer:
Hindustan Times
21-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Pope Francis passes away at 88: A glimpse into his family roots, early life as a bouncer and more
Pope Francis, who passed away today, was a man of deep faith and humility, yet like all of us, he had a family. While Catholic priests take vows of celibacy and are not permitted to marry or have children, Pope Francis was not without family ties. Born Jorge Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he is survived by several relatives, including siblings and cousins. Also Read: Celebrities, world leaders react to Pope Francis' death at 88: 'Example of total humility' Pope Francis was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was born to Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori and was the eldest of their five children. His father worked as an accountant from Italy, while his mother was the daughter of teh Italian immigrants. In 2013, when he was inaugurated as a Pope, one of his siblings was still alive-- his sister Maria Elena Bergoglio. A few of Pope Francis's relatives, including his nephew José Ignacio Bergoglio, the youngest son of his late sister María, have spoken publicly about their connection to the pontiff, as reported by Town & Country. Cristina Bergoglio, one of his nieces who is an artist, currently lives in Madrid, Spain. Also Read: Pope Francis' final adieu: Day, date, time and everything we know about his funeral Before becoming Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio held a number of humble jobs to make ends meet. According to reports, he worked as a nightclub bouncer, a janitor, and even as a chemical technician. He was a man of many odd jobs before the world recognised him as the one to lead the Catholic Church. In 2013, while speaking in a church in Rome, the pontiff recalled that he used to sweep floors, work in a chemical laboratory, teach at a high school, and even act as a bouncer at clubs, according to the reports. While he did not share how working as a bouncer helped him in turning into the leader of the Catholic Church, he shared how teaching literature and psychology ' taught him how to get people back into the church,' as reported by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. Pope Francis was also a student of Chemistry and earned a technical degree in the field. So what moves him to follow the life of a priest? He once revealed that he had a life-altering confession to a priest, which made him realise that the priesthood was his true calling. Pope Francis made history in several ways: he was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit to become the pontiff, and the first to choose the name "Francis." His name was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a beloved figure known for his commitment to poverty and his care for the marginalised, values that would come to define Pope Francis's leadership of the Catholic Church.
