Close bond: Pope Francis and his sister Maria Elena
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 football, who attended Catholic Action and who studied. I really don't remember him ever making my dad or mum upset," she recounted in an interview with "La Repubblica".
What do 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" recounts, Maria Elena remembered 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 stayed in close contact with the pope.
When she unexpectedly suffered a stroke, the pope called her every day until she felt better.
Their bond remained strong, even when their phone conversations became infrequent 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
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.
