Pope Francis's sister reflects on lasting bond
Out of all five siblings of Pope Francis, only his youngest sister, Maria Elena, is still alive. "He was my older brother, the one who played soccer, who attended Catholic Action, and who studied. I really don't remember him ever making my dad or mom upset," she recalled in an interview with "La Repubblica".
What you need to know
- Maria Elena Bergoglio, the youngest sister of Pope Francis, is the only surviving member of the five siblings.
- Due to her poor health, she could not visit her brother in Rome during his pontificate.
- Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has never visited Argentina, his home country.
Maria Elena Bergoglio - Pope Francis's youngest sister
Maria Elena Bergoglio, born in 1948, is 12 years younger than her brother, Pope Francis. She lives near Buenos Aires in Argentina.
As "La Repubblica" reminds us, Maria Elena recalled her brother as someone who never upset their parents.
Maria Elena Bergoglio could not visit her brother in Rome due to a severe stroke she suffered. Despite this, she remained in close contact with the pope.
"Even when I was going through a divorce with my husband, he supported and helped me, despite his Catholic faith," she said.
When she suddenly suffered a stroke, the pope called her every day until she felt better.
Their bond remained strong, even when phone conversations became sporadic due to the pope's numerous commitments.
Francis has not visited his native Argentina since 2013.
Close bond between Francis and his sister. he replaced their father
"Jorge Mario was my older brother, the one who played soccer, who attended Catholic Action, and who studied. I really don't remember him ever making my dad or mom upset," recalled Maria Elena in an interview with "La Repubblica".
The relationship between the siblings was always close. After the death of their father, Mario Jose Bergoglio, it was Jorge Mario, the future pope, who took on the role of father to his sisters.
