How San Lorenzo fans in Argentina remember Pope Francis | DW News

Key Concepts:

• Pope Francis (formerly Jorge Mario Bergoglio)
• San Lorenzo de Almagro (Argentine soccer club)
• Lorenzo Massa (founder of San Lorenzo)
• Metropolitan Cathedral (Buenos Aires)
• Papal Biographer Francesca Ambroetti
• Viggo Mortensen (actor, San Lorenzo fan)

Pope Francis's Connection to San Lorenzo

• Early Life and Fandom: Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was an avid football fan from a young age. His family would take him to watch San Lorenzo, a club he would follow throughout his life.
• Club Origins: San Lorenzo was founded in 1908 by priest Lorenzo Massa in the chapel of San Lorenzo de Almagro. Bergoglio's parents met in this same chapel.
• Mass in Memory: After Pope Francis's death, San Lorenzo organized a mass in his memory.
• Global Ambassador: Pope Francis was seen as a global ambassador for San Lorenzo, transmitting the values of the neighborhood and never forgetting his roots.

Family Influence and Abstinence from Watching Matches

• Father's Influence: Papal biographer Francesca Ambroetti states that Francis's father, Mario Bergoglio, instilled a passion for soccer in his young son, with attending matches being a significant childhood experience.
• Stopped Watching TV: As a priest and later as Pope, Bergoglio kept up with San Lorenzo's progress but stopped watching matches after a shocking incident he witnessed on television. He stopped watching TV altogether.
• Information Source: It is believed that a Swiss Guard would inform him of the results.

Coincidences and Special Requests

• Membership Card: In 2008, on the 100th anniversary of San Lorenzo's founding, the team gave then-Archbishop Bergoglio a membership card numbered 88,235.
• Age and Time of Death: He passed away at the age of 88 at 2:35 Argentine time, coinciding with the membership number.
• Prayers for the Club: In 2011, as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio visited and celebrated a mass with club members. They asked him to pray for San Lorenzo not to be relegated, to which he responded, "We are not going to be relegated." Another asked if they would become champions of America, and they did. He said "I like to play soccer."

Impact and Significance

• Human Connection: The Pope's passion for soccer showed his humanity and brought him closer to people, even those not religious.
• Change in the Catholic Church: Luchini believes that his passion for soccer showed a pope who came down from the pulpit to get closer to the people.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The video highlights Pope Francis's lifelong passion for the San Lorenzo soccer club, demonstrating how this personal interest humanized him and connected him with people worldwide. His early experiences, family influence, and continued support for the club, even as Pope, illustrate a deep connection to his roots and a desire to bridge the gap between the Church and everyday life. The coincidences surrounding his death and the prayers for the club further emphasize the unique and meaningful relationship between Pope Francis and San Lorenzo.