Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, left an indelible mark on the world as a humble, reform-driven spiritual leader. But behind the white cassock and global renown was a man whose early life in Argentina still stirs curiosity and emotion — especially in the wake of his passing at age 88 on April 21, 2025.

In the days since his death, a renewed interest in the late pope’s pre-Vatican years has emerged, with particular attention given to the only woman ever romantically linked to him. Their youthful bond, and how it may have shaped his eventual path to priesthood, remains a subject of fascination for many who wish to understand the man behind the mitre.

María Elena Bergoglio, Pope Francis’s only surviving sibling, once shared rare insights into his early aspirations. She adamantly believed her brother never sought the papacy, recalling family conversations where he joked away the idea. “No, please no,” he would say when the possibility of becoming pope was mentioned. Still, she came to view his elevation to the role as “a blessing from God,” and believed his first appearance on the papal balcony reflected a deeply fulfilled heart.