Get to Know Pope Francis's Family
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936, was the eldest of five children of Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori.
When he was elected pope in 2013, he had one sibling still alive, his sister Maria Elena Bergoglio, who revealed she had once hoped he wouldn't be chosen pope. 'During the previous conclave, I was praying for him not to be elected … because I didn't want my brother to leave,' she told CNN en Español. 'It's a position that was a little selfish.' This time, she added, 'I prayed that the Holy Spirit would intervene and not listen to me. And it didn't listen to me…It did what it wanted.'
After he was elected, Francis told Maria to tell the rest of their family. 'He said, 'I cannot call everyone. We are a very big family, so please send them my love. Because if I call everyone, it will empty the Vatican coffers,'' Maria revealed.
Maria did not go to Rome for his inauguration. 'My brother asked us to save money and use it for charitable works. I'll do as he says,' she said. Maria also shared she was worried about him becoming lonely in the role. 'Let's not leave him alone. Francis is asking the Church to resume its journey, but we the faithful must walk with him.'
A few of Pope Francis's relatives, inlcuding Maria's youngest son, Jose Ignacio Bergoglio, have spoken publicly about being related to the Pope:
Further, one of his nieces, Cristina Bergoglio, is an artist who now lives in Madrid, Spain. In 2018, she said of her uncle, 'I do not see him anymore, not because I don't want to, but because I respect his job as a spiritual messenger very much and because I am also very busy with my work.'
Any other living relatives have remained out of the public eye.
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