From night club bounder to janitor: Odd jobs that Pope Francis did before attaining priesthood

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 and will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26. Read on to know about Pope Francis's early life and remarkable journey from working as a nightclub bouncer to becoming the first Latin American Pope & first Jesuit. 

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Early life

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the eldest son of Mario José Bergoglio, an Italian-born accountant, and Regina María Sívori, the daughter of Italian immigrants. His early life was marked by simplicity and deep spiritual curiosity.

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Pope Francis' early life

In 1969, Bergoglio was ordained a priest in the Society of Jesus—a milestone that would shape the course of his destiny. As the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina during the oppressive regime of the 1970s, he navigated the delicate intersection of faith and political strife with profound resilience.

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A Pope who once bounced at Nightclubs

Long before donning the papal white, the future spiritual leader of over a billion Catholics lived a life steeped in humility and hard work. His resume almost unimaginable for someone destined to ascend to the papacy—includes stints as a nightclub bouncer, janitor, chemical technician, and high school teacher.

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Worked as night club bouncer

Pope Francis didn't shared details about his time working as a bouncer or how those experiences shaped his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, he focused on how his later work — teaching literature and psychology — "taught him how to get people back into the church", Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano reported.

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A remarkable journey

In a candid moment during a 2013 church gathering in Rome, Pope Francis recounted sweeping floors, assisting in a laboratory, and even handling unruly patrons at clubs. 

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Life before becoming priest

Pope Francis had also studied chemistry and earned a technical diploma in the field, before becoming a priest.

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What made Pope to pursue spirituality

Pope once shared that a life-changing confession with a priest he had never met before, changed his life forever and he discovered his calling to the priesthood.

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When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis

In 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis—the first Latin American and first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church. His papacy was defined by humility, inclusiveness, and a fierce advocacy for the marginalized. 

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Pope Francis

Whether washing the feet of prisoners or speaking out on climate change and economic inequality, Pope Francis was a beacon of compassion in a divided world.

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Pope Francis' funeral

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, will be laid to rest on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST, 08:00 GMT), the Vatican has confirmed.

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His funeral will reflect the simplicity that characterized his 12-year papacy. In a departure from traditional papal funerals, Francis had requested a single wooden coffin lined with zinc, foregoing the customary three-coffin practice.