Pope Francis’s nephew remembers father figure ‘Uncle Jorge’

Pope Francis also played a pivotal role in the life of his nephew, María Elena’s son José Ignacio, who grew up without a father.

“I always say that my two uncles, Alberto and Jorge, became the father figures I so deeply missed as a child,” José Ignacio said.

“Jorge knew how to be serious when needed, but he never lost his spontaneity or his sense of humour. He was a warm, approachable uncle, and I loved him deeply.”

José Ignacio vividly remembers the day his uncle was elected pope, a moment that stunned him, especially after he had dismissed all speculation that Jorge could ascend to the papacy.

“I had gone to a family friend’s house for a meal, and we began watching the conclave. The moment the white smoke rose, I started to tremble. I became incredibly nervous,” he said.

“Then, the protodeacon stepped out and announced, ‘Habemus Papam.’ I only heard ‘Giorgio Mario.’ I dropped to my knees in front of the television and started to cry.”

The short journey to share the news with his mother, who lived just 15 blocks away, took much longer than usual. Everywhere he went, locals stopped him to offer their congratulations.

“At home, I hugged my mother, and we cried together for a while. Then cousins and friends started to arrive, and the phone was ringing off the hook.”

Amid the chaos, with local and international media camped outside their door, the phone rang again around 9pm. A distant voice on the other end simply said, ‘Hello.’

“Who am I speaking to,” I asked. “It’s Jorge, boludo,” came the reply [using the rude slang Argentines use for “idiot”, often affectionately].

“It was Pope Francis, swearing,” José Ignacio recalled. “I handed the phone to mum. As they spoke, I watched her tears dry. It was an incredibly moving moment.”