(ANS - Buenos Aires) - Pope Francis’s contact with Salesian spirituality is usually traced back to his childhood, when the little Jorge Mario got to know for himself some eminent Salesians. But, on closer examination, the link has even earlier origins. The man who first introduced his parents to each other was in fact none other than Fr Enrico Pozzoli, SDB, who played such an important role in the early life of the future Pope.

by Héctor Daniel Vargas

In 1934, Francisco José Mario Bergoglio was twenty-six years old, employed and living with his parents in Flores. Maria Regina Sivori was twenty-two and living with her parents in Almagro. A Salesian priest, Fr Enrico Pozzoli, acted as a bridge between the two families, both of Italian origin like himself.

Mario Bergoglio and Regina Sivori decided to share their lives and were married on Thursday 12 December 1935 in the Church of San Carlos, one of the landmarks of Almagro, which houses an image of Mary Help of Christians blessed by Don Bosco.

They decided to live near the Basilica of San José de Flores, at Varela N° 268, between Avenida Juan Bautista Alberdi and Jose Bonifacio, in Buenos Aires. It was a newly built house, which is still preserved, consisting of a simple apartment: kitchen, bathroom, living room, a small courtyard and two bedrooms, one downstairs and one upstairs.

A few days later the year 1936 began with the world still struggling to recover from the economic recession. And one year and five days after their wedding, Regina Sivori and Mario Bergoglio saw the birth in their home of their first child. It was 9.00 p.m. on Thursday 17 December 1936. The child was named Jorge Mario.

Far away, in the Vatican, Pope Pius XI's health was improving slightly. One Pope was suffering in his bedroom in the Apostolic Palace while another was born in Buenos Aires!

On Christmas Day, eight days after his birth, Jorge Mario was baptized by Fr Pozzoli in the Salesian church of San Carlos in Almagro.

Three days later, his father had the birth registered civilly. Later the family expanded with the arrival of more children and they moved to Membrillar N° 538, leaving the neighbourhood of Flores. Here “at the end of the world" the first Pope of the American continent began his life.

Published 17/06/2015