(ZENIT News / Rome, 04.24.2025).- As dignitaries, heads of state, and church leaders gather in Rome to bid farewell to Pope Francis, one presence stands out not for political power or ecclesiastical title, but for its quiet emotional weight: Mauro Bergoglio, the Pope’s nephew, has arrived in the Eternal City for the first time in his life—thanks to an act of generosity.
Mauro, a nurse from Buenos Aires and son of the late Oscar Bergoglio, one of Francis’ brothers, had long dreamed of meeting his uncle in Rome but never had the opportunity. When news broke of the Pope’s death, he voiced his deep desire to attend the funeral, but admitted that financial constraints made it impossible. Speaking on Argentine TV earlier in the week, Mauro had said frankly, “I’m trying to find a way to go. I want to go, but I can’t afford the trip.”
That vulnerable moment was all it took. Touched by his story, an Argentine businesswoman—whose name has not been publicly disclosed—offered to cover the full cost of his travel. Mauro accepted the help with gratitude and a dose of disbelief. “I never asked for anything,” he said in an interview from Rome with Radio Mitre. “They offered it to me, and I accepted because it was the only way I could say goodbye.”
🇻🇦🥹 Sobrino del Papa llega a Vaticano para su funeral
En el funeral del Papa Francisco sí habrá un familiar directo: su sobrino. Se llama Mauro. Logró trasladarse a Roma gracias a donativos. Y afortunadamente podrá estar con su tío. Me conmueve porque en los funerales de san… pic.twitter.com/cI6VTP1AxC
— P. Jorge Enrique Mújica, LC (@web_pastor) April 24, 2025
The story has resonated deeply in Argentina and beyond, not only because it highlights a poignant family bond in the midst of global mourning, but because it has stirred an uncomfortable contrast: Mauro, a member of the Pope’s own family, arrived in Rome not with an official delegation but through a stranger’s kindness. Meanwhile, the official Argentine delegation, led by President Javier Milei and composed of six government officials, includes no one from the Bergoglio family.
The optics of the delegation—absent any relatives of the late pontiff—have sparked a public conversation about respect, representation, and the often-strained relationship between Pope Francis and his homeland’s political establishment. For some observers, Mauro’s solitary and quietly funded journey has come to symbolize the personal humility that characterized his uncle’s life, in contrast to the pomp of official ceremonies.
As Mauro sets foot in Rome for the first time, it is under circumstances he never imagined. There are no photo ops or state receptions, only a nephew’s wish to stand near the remains of the uncle he admired from afar. He represents not only the Bergoglio family, but countless ordinary Argentines who saw in Pope Francis not just a spiritual leader, but one of their own.
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