The Truth About Pope Francis' Nephew Jose Ignacio Bergoglio
Francesco, Oscar-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky's documentary about Pope Francis, takes a deep dive into the life and work of His Holiness. The film promises "unprecedented access" to the pope and interviews with influential figures from the religious leader's past — including his nephew Jose Ignacio Bergoglio. The pope's nephew, with whom he shares a name, has spoken briefly about his uncle's journey to the papacy in the past, though perhaps never so extensively.
According to the documentary's official description, it provides, "an intimate look at a global leader who approaches challenging and complex issues with tremendous humility, wisdom and generosity towards all," and "takes audiences on a worldwide journey to spotlight the incredible empathy displayed by a leader who continues to inspire hope during an extraordinary moment in our lifetime."
Though Pope Francis has been generally recognized as a more liberal, humanitarian-style pope than his predecessors, his tenure has not been without controversy. So naturally, everyone is eager to see if his nephew can shed a little more light on the human being behind the papal robes.
The pope's nephew gives back to the community
In previous interviews, Pope Francis' nephew Jose Ignacio Bergoglio has opened up about his uncle's decision to join the church in the first place and what the holy leader is like in real life.
According to People, in 2015, Bergoglio revealed in an interview with Spanish newspaper ABC that, before becoming a priest, Pope Francis was actually on the verge of telling his girlfriend that he loved her and had plans to become a doctor. Bergoglio said his uncle changed his mind when he went into a church to pray and had a long conversation with a priest during confession, where he discovered his true love was with God.
Later, in an interview with EWTN, Bergoglio explained that the man the public sees every day is exactly the same man that the pope is in person. He also said that his uncle was the one who gave him the Catholic sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation.
While Bergoglio is, of course, nowhere near as well-known as his uncle, it looks like public service runs in the family. Bergoglio is the cofounder of the Argentine non-profit Haciendo Lio, which works to combat poverty and social inequity.