Millions around the world are mourning today after the passing of Pope Francis, the 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church. The beloved pontiff died Monday following a lengthy battle with double pneumonia.
“Pope Francis’ death has set off a centuries-old orchestrated series of events to honor his life and legacy, though the funeral for the 266th bishop of Rome will likely differ drastically from those of his predecessors,” the New York Post writes.
Often called “The People’s Pope,” Francis was admired globally for his compassion, humility, and unwavering focus on social justice. As tributes pour in, one particular story from his early life is bringing both smiles and tears to those remembering him.
An Instagram post from RocaHistory recently reminded followers of a little-known fact: “Pope Francis (then Jorge Mario Bergoglio) … was once a bouncer at a nightclub and a janitor. Then he became a priest … now he’s the Pope.”
That story is true. Before he wore the white robes of the papacy, he was sweeping floors and checking IDs in Buenos Aires. One Instagram user commented: “Imagine getting kicked out of the club by the future pope.”
Long before he was guiding over a billion Catholics, Pope Francis was guiding the door line at a local nightclub—making tough calls about who got in and who didn’t. Perhaps it was that early life experience, shaped by humility and everyday challenges, that helped him become the “Pope of the People.”
His legacy, marked by mercy, inclusion, and deep humanity, will live on in the hearts of millions.
A Life That Led Pope Francis to the Vatican
Growing up, the “First Pope of the Americas” Jorge Mario Bergoglio worked various jobs to support himself. Born into a large, modest family, in Argentina, he wasn’t wealthy and took whatever work he could find. Among those jobs? A nightclub bouncer.
“What’s funny now is you can imagine Pope Francis being the worst bouncer in the world,” the CNN team joked on air, 12 years ago. “I mean, judging by his nature, he’d let everyone in. ‘Come on in the nightclub!’ He’d probably buy them a drink once they got there. That’s the way he’s been as Pope. It’s a wonderful little tidbit to learn about his life.”
His brief time as a bouncer, however, was just one stop on a winding road to priesthood. At 24, he says he felt a calling from God and applied to a Jesuit seminary in Chile. Accepted into the order, he began his spiritual journey. He earned a Master’s degree in Philosophy and also studied Chemistry, which later allowed him to teach literature and psychology at the university level.
Did His Time as a Bouncer Shape His Papacy?
The public first found out about his many jobs from the Pope himself. During a talk at a church in Rome, in 2013. “… the Pope talked about sweeping floors, working in a chemical lab and teaching in high school,” NPR reported at the time. “All jobs that would help explain his now famous common touch. But he also revealed that he was once a bouncer.”
Many now wonder if those nights watching over the entrance of a Buenos Aires nightclub shaped the way he leads as Pope. As they pray for a speedy recovery, they find comfort in his past. The Pope worked hard, like so many of his followers.
CNN summed it up the best way, by saying that Pope Francis has “totally earned” his reputation as “Pope of the People.” Now, as the world mourns his passing, that reputation feels even more profound, because he wasn’t just the people’s pope. He was one of them.
