Jorge Mario Bergoglio is not your average pope. Since he was named the head of the Roman Catholic Church in March of 2013, Pope Francis has been making a name for himself as one of the most progressive leaders in the history of the Catholic Church.
Recently, the pope was asked about his opinion regarding a comment made by a Catholic cardinal. The cardinal suggested that the Catholic Church should apologize for the way it has treated the LGBTQ community. In response, the Pope explained that the Church should not only apologize to the gay community, but it should also make amends “to the poor, to women who have been exploited and to children who have been exploited by being forced to work.”
This statement is just one reason why he has earned a spot as one of the coolest men in Vatican City, if not the world. If you still aren’t convinced, check out our list of seven reasons why Pope Francis is the best.
Pope Francis was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, making him the first Jesuit Pope and the first Pope from Latin America. He was born to Italian immigrants, Mario (a railroad worker) and Regina Bergoglio, both of whom fled their home country in the 1920s to escape Mussolini’s fascist regime.
Yes, Pope Francis had a motorcycle. Don’t let the papal robes fool you, Pope Francis knows how to ride in style. Whether the Pope actually rode his bike or not is still to be determined but we do know that he was given a Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide as a gift from the grandson of one of the company’s founders back in 2013. According to TIME, he later put the motorcycle up for auction in Paris where it was sold for $327, 000. The funds from the bicycle went to a soup kitchen and hostel for the homeless in Rome.
The Pope stirred up quite the controversy over his statement to the Political Academy of Sciences back in 2014. According to The Independent, he explained to the audience that science and theology should not be considered as two separate world views. According to him, “When we read in Genesis the account of creation [we are] in danger of imagining that God was a magician, complete with a magic wand that can do all things. But he is not.” The Pope, who has a background in chemistry, explained that the creationism and evolution do in fact go hand in hand.
Pope Francis was once quoted in a Spanish newspaper as saying that he prefers to avoid the customary bullet proof Popemobile while out in public. The Popemobile was introduced after Pope John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square in 1981 by a Turkish man who was later pardoned after 20 years in prison. According to CNN, Pope Francis admitted to La Vanguardia, “I know that something could happen to me, but it’s in the hands of God.” By riding in a more open vehicle, Pope Francis feels that he is more accessible to the public. Earlier in 2016 the Pope was even seen giving a papal joy ride to two young Spanish boys who were on a holiday in Rome.
This one you probably didn’t know. Apparently Pope Francis was once the average Joe…or Jorge. The New York Times writes that Pope Francis had several “normal” jobs before he found his true calling in life. As a young college student in Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio “swept floors, ran tests in a chemical lab and even worked as a bouncer to make extra cash.”
Pope Francis does not shy away from the casual papal selfie. He was most famously photographed taking a photo with a group of teenagers who went on pilgrimage to see the Pope at St. Peters Basilica back in 2013. Like any great rock star, he knows how to connect with his fan base and is very appreciative of his faithful followers.
Enough said.
Although Pope Francis may be controversial, it’s definitely working in his favor. He’s caught the attention of so many non-believers and has a continuous message of love, acceptance and some good papal fun.
