Meet Maria Elena Bergoglio, Pope Francis' only Surviving Sibling Who Once Prayed He Wouldn't be Pope

• In 2013 when Pope Francis was elected to lead the Catholic church, he had only one sibling alive, his sister Maria Elena Bergoglio
• Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, triggering mourning and tributes from Catholic faithfuls and world leaders
• In an old interview, Pope Francis' only surviving sibling revealed she had once hoped he would not be chosen as Pope and shared why, and an Owerri seminarian at Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Chime Augustine, has shared his thoughts on the late pontiff's life and ministry

Catholic faithfuls and nations around the world mourn following the demise of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church, on Monday, April 21, after suffering a cerebral stroke and heart failure.

In a statement, the Vatican camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, said, “He (Pope Francis) taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised."

Read also

Nigerian reverend father shares what he loves about Pope Francis' coffin during burial, people react

Pope Francis' family

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the eldest of five siblings birthed to Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori.

The late pope's only sibling alive when he was elected to head the Catholic church in 2013 was Maria Elena Bergoglio, who lives a private life in Argentina.

According to Hola, Pope Francis became a father figure as his dad died when Maria was a young girl. His other siblings' deaths are as follows: Óscar died in 1997, Marta in 2007, and Alberto in 2010.

His mum died at 69 on January 8, 1981.

Pope's sister once prayed against his election

In a 2013 interview with CNN en Español, Maria revealed she once prayed that he wouldn't be chosen as Pope, as she didn't want him to leave. In her words:

"During the previous conclave, I was praying for him not to be elected… because I didn’t want my brother to leave..."

Read also

Priest shares how Pope Francis broke with tradition and was buried in Basilica of St. Mary Major

At the time, she thought it was a position that was a little selfish. Eventually, she would pray that the Holy Spirit would intervene and ignore her.

“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.”

Seminarian shares lessons from Pope Francis' life

When asked about the lessons and inspirations one can draw from Pope Francis' life and ministry, an Owerri seminarian at Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Chime Augustine, told Legit.ng:

"He taught us that holiness is not the absence of weakness but the presence of grace in our daily fidelity. His humility, intellectual depth, and unwavering hope amid global crises inspire me to approach ministry not as power but as service anchored in prayer and compassion.

"He was a living homily on Christ’s love."

Why Pope Francis' signet ring is destroyed

Read also

Peter Obi spotted at Pope’s lying-in-state ceremony, photos trend

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported why Pope Francis' signet ring is destroyed with a special hammer or a pair of shears following his demise.

The first thing done after the pope's death is the sealing of his apartments, which is carried out by the official Chamberlain, or Camerlengo, of the Roman Catholic Church. One of the key rituals done after the Pope's demise is the destruction of the Pope's signet ring, which was worn on the right hand's ring finger (fourth finger).

The ceremony of destroying the papal ring takes place after the official confirmation of the Pope's death and before the cardinals formally begin the papal conclave to elect the next Pope. The practice of destroying a Pope's ring was altered by Pope Benedict XVI when he resigned from the papacy in 2013.

Source: Legit.ng