Circuito Papal (SPA-ENG)
La Capital Federal de la Argentina está dividida en 48 barrios que fueron agrupados en los últimos años en 15 comunas para una mejor diagramación de servicios esenciales tales como la seguridad, la limpieza e higiene y la educación pública.
Uno de esos barrios es Flores, antiguamente conocido como San José de Flores; era un poblado independiente de la Capital donde las familias más acomodadas de la Buenos Aires colonial construían sus quintas de fin de semana y veraneo, ayudados por el fácil acceso que proveía el "camino real", luego convertido en la Avenida Rivadavia.
En 1888 San José de Flores fue incorporado a la ciudad de Buenos Aires en el marco de la federalización de la capital del país aunque su desarrollo se había visto impulsado a partir del 1857 con la llegada del ferrocarril oeste, actualmente bajo la denominación de ferrocarril Sarmiento.
Flores ha sido lugar de nacimiento o de residencia de varias personalidades destacadas de las letras, la música y el deporte, entre ellos Roberto Arlt, Baldomero Fernandez Moreno, Julio Cortázar, Charly García, Alejandro Dolina, Luis Albert Spinetta y Carlos Salvador Bilardo, aunque nadie tan destacado como Jorge Mario Bergoglio, mundialmente conocido com Francisco, el primer Papa Americano recientemente fallecido.
Cuando Francisco fue elegido Papa en el año 2013, hubo un gran impulso en la ciudad para formar un circuito papal, el mismo recorría una serie de lugares donde transcurrió la vida personal y eclesiástica del jefe de la Iglesia Católica. Inmediatamente comenzaron a aparecer por el barrio micros transportando turistas de todo el mundo deseosos de conocer más sobre el Santo Padre.
Con el correr de los años el entusiasmo declinó y ya no se veían por las calles del barrio turistas visitando los varios lugares donde Francisco vivió de niño, joven y ya ordenado sacerdote. Pero todo cambió con su fallecimiento y hoy nuevamente vemos gente visitando esos lugares, en algunos casos dejando ofrendas florales o simplemente tocando una placa y rezando por su alma.
A pocas cuadras de mi casa, en la calle Varela 270 se encuentra la vivienda donde nació Jorge Mario Bergoglio un 17 de diciembre de 1936, una placa colocada por el gobierno de la ciudad da cuenta de ello. Solo a un par de cuadras de su casa natal, sobre la misma calle Varela en el número 358, todavía existe y está en funciones la escuela Cnel. Ing. Pedro Antonio Cerviño fundada en 1915 y en cuyas aulas Francisco cursó sus estudios primarios.
A tan solo 70 metros de mi propiedad, sobre la calle Membrillar altura 531, se encuentra la casa donde el joven estudiante Jorge Mario se mudó junto a su familia algunos años después. Allí decidió ser seminarista, según sus propias palabras, ese llamado de Dios se hizo fuerte en sus continuas visitas a la Basílica de San José de Flores, ubicada sobre la Avenida Rivadavia al 6900, muy cerca de esa residencia.
A menos de 100 metros de esa vivienda de su juventud se encuentra la parroquia Santa Francisca Javier Cabrini, un edificio que no ostenta la típica construcción de las iglesias católicas, es más parecida a un edificio de viviendas familiares, durante su tiempo como vicario zonal del barrio de Flores, ya siendo obispo, Bergoglio celebró misas, incluso se conservan fotografías de esos eventos dentro de las instalaciones de la parroquia.
300 metros después, sobre la Avenida Directorio 2118 una de las arterias principales de la ciudad, se encuentra la iglesia y colegio Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia fundado hace casi 150 años por las primeras hermanas, Hijas de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia; en su puerta de acceso principal todavía puede apreciarse un cartel que reza: "Me miró con misericordia y me eligió" frase incluida en latín (Miserando atque eligendo) en el Escudo Pontificio que incluye la devoción a la Virgen Santísima y a San José, símbolo que representó a Francisco durante su papado. Un digno homenaje a quien visitara en diversas oportunidades la iglesia en cuestión y donde recibiera su primera comunión y oficiara como monaguillo en sus comienzos.
Volviendo nuevamente a la casa de la calle Membrillar, en su esquina más cercana hay una pequeña plaza de forma triangular que fue remodelada poco después de su entronización como Papa y a la cual se agregó un sello redondo totalmente construido en acero con un homenaje más de la ciudad a tan ilustre ciudadano.
Francisco, fallecido recientemente, ya tiene reemplazante en la figura de León XIV, sin embargo, su historia entrelazada con el barrio de Flores permanecerá inalterable en el tiempo y en el corazón de los vecinos que jamás olvidarán que por sus calles nació, jugó, estudió, se ordenó sacerdote y celebró misas cuando no soñaba con llegar a jefe de toda la iglesia católica y se conformaba con ser simplemente el padre Jorge.
No obstante, Dios lo miró con misericordia y lo eligió.
Papal Circuit
The Federal Capital of Argentina is divided into 48 neighborhoods, which were grouped in recent years into 15 communes to better organize essential services such as security, cleanliness, hygiene, and public education.
One of these neighborhoods is Flores, formerly known as San José de Flores. It was a town independent of the capital where the wealthiest families of colonial Buenos Aires built their weekend and summer villas, aided by the easy access provided by the "Royal Road," later converted into Rivadavia Avenue.
In 1888, San José de Flores was incorporated into the city of Buenos Aires as part of the federalization of the country's capital, although its development had been boosted since 1857 with the arrival of the Western Railway, currently known as the Sarmiento Railway.
Flores has been the birthplace or residence of several prominent figures in literature, music, and sports, including Roberto Arlt, Baldomero Fernández Moreno, Julio Cortázar, Charly García, Alejandro Dolina, Luis Albert Spinetta, and Carlos Salvador Bilardo, although none is as prominent as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, world-renowned as Francis, the recently deceased first American Pope.
When Francis was elected Pope in 2013, there was a major push in the city to create a papal tour, which would visit a series of places where the personal and ecclesiastical life of the head of the Catholic Church took place. Buses immediately began to appear in the neighborhood, transporting tourists from all over the world, eager to learn more about the Holy Father.
Over the years, this enthusiasm waned, and tourists were no longer seen on the streets of the neighborhood visiting the various places where Francis lived as a child, a young man, and after his ordained priesthood. But everything changed with his death, and today we once again see people visiting those places, in some cases leaving floral offerings or simply touching a plaque and praying for his soul.
A few blocks from my house, at 270 Varela Street, is the house where Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936. A plaque placed by the city government commemorates this. Just a couple of blocks from his birthplace, on 358 Varela Street, the Col. Pedro Antonio Cerviño School, founded in 1915 and where Francisco attended primary school, still exists and is in operation.
Just 70 meters from my property, at 531 Membrillar Street, is the house where the young student Jorge Mario moved with his family a few years later. There, he decided to become a seminarian. In his own words, that call from God became stronger during his frequent visits to the Basilica of San José de Flores, located on 6900 Rivadavia Avenue, very close to his residence.
Less than 100 meters from his childhood home is the Santa Francesca Javier Cabrini Parish, a building that doesn't boast the typical construction of Catholic churches; it's more like a family apartment building. During his time as zonal vicar of the Flores neighborhood and as bishop, Bergoglio celebrated Masses. Photographs of these events are even preserved within the parish grounds.
300 meters further on, on Avenida Directorio 2118, one of the city's main arteries, is the Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia Church and School, founded almost 150 years ago by the first sisters, Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy. A sign on its main entrance door still stands, reading: "He looked upon me with mercy and chose me," a phrase included in Latin (Miserando atque eligendo) in the Papal Coat of Arms, which includes devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, a symbol that represented Pope Francis during his papacy. A fitting tribute to the man who visited the church on several occasions, where he received his First Communion and served as an altar boy in his early days.
Returning to the house on Membrillar Street, on its nearest corner is a small triangular plaza that was remodeled shortly after his enthronement as Pope. A round seal entirely made of steel was added to the plaza, another tribute from the city to such an illustrious citizen.
Francis, who recently passed away, already has a replacement in the figure of Leo XIV. However, his history, intertwined with the Flores neighborhood, will remain unchanged over time and in the hearts of the residents who will never forget that on its streets he was born, played, studied, ordained a priest, and celebrated Masses when he never dreamed of becoming head of the entire Catholic Church and was content to be simply Father Jorge.
However, God looked upon him with mercy and chose him.
Héctor Gugliermo
@hosgug
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¡Con mucho gusto!
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I really enjoyed reading this! It was so cool to learn about the places where Pope Francis grew up and went to school. I didn’t know so much about his early life before this. It’s nice that people are visiting those places again to remember him.
That's right, @yugadi, there's great emotion and pride throughout the Flores neighborhood. I just tried to capture some of it in this post.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
A very beautiful place, the appearance of the building is very cool, it must be very fun to enjoy it ❤️🙏
Due to its Spanish heritage, my country is predominantly Catholic, and there are a large number of temples and churches, some as old as the colonization itself, that reflect this tendency.
Greetings @suarlex
Wow that's really amazing my friend ❤️🙏
@hosgug What a good publication, it remains for the memory of all those who truly believe in the Catholic religion, and how Pope Francis dared to push for great changes.
Thank you very much @ottofer it is very true, it will remain in the memory of all Catholics.