Pope Francis’ surprising past: Nightclub bouncer, tango dancer and pizza lover | Trending

As the news of Pope Francis’ demise spread across the world, an outpouring of grief followed from global leaders, religious figures, and millions of faithful Catholics who paid tribute to his legacy.

Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, was known for his humble demeanor and deep compassion for the poor. However, the leader of the Catholic Church came from remarkably humble beginnings some so unexpected, they seem almost unbelievable given the position he held at the time of his death.

Before he became a priest, young Jorge Mario Bergoglio worked several humble jobs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These included sweeping floors, running lab tests, and even being a nightclub bouncer at a bar.

According to Newsweek, the fact was first reported in 2013 by Italian newspaper Gazzetta del Sud, which reported that as a student “he worked as a bouncer at a nightclub to support himself.”

A report by the Catholic News Service, citing the Vatican’s official newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, revealed that Pope Francis once spoke to parishioners at the Church of Saint Cyril of Alexandria in Rome, sharing details about his life before he became pope. Among the jobs he mentioned was a surprising one—his time working as a nightclub bouncer. It was the first time he publicly disclosed this part of his past since assuming the papacy.

Pope Francis: People’s Pope

Even at his advanced age, Pope Francis kept in touch with the latest apps to reach Catholics wherever they are. He joined Instagram in 2016 and gained 1.4 million followers in less than 12 hours. In his final days, he would hold weekly WhatsApp and video calls with a parish in Gaza.

Talking about his childhood, he had revealed that he grew up rooting for the club San Lorenzo from his native Buenos Aires. Accroding to Time Magazine, the pope also expressed his love for tango in 2010, saying it “comes from deep within me.” In 2014, hundreds of couples danced it in St. Peter’s Square, to show their appreciation for him.

“The only thing I would like is to go out one day, without being recognized, and go to a pizzeria for a pizza,” he had said in an interview in 2015. In 2017, he blew out a candle on a 13-ft-long mozzarella and tomato pie for his 81st birthday.

He would often pose for selfies, especially with teens and once described the Internet as “a gift from God”. However, he worried that social media left people more isolated too. “The world of virtual communication is a good thing, but when it becomes alienating, it makes you forget to shake hands.” It’s a lesson that can apply to adults too,” he said in 2018.