Before Pope Francis became head of the Catholic Church, he went by the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio and held some surprising jobs.
In the wake of Francis' death at 88, on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, some people have only recently found out about the religious leader's past gigs and were left stunned by both the mundane and slightly scandalous career choices.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Kevin Ferrell announced, per the Vatican News.
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In the past, Pope Francis worked as a bouncer at a Buenos Aires nightclub, Sky News reported in 2013. Though it's not listed on his LinkedIn profile, he also previously got paid to sweep floors as a janitor, work in a chemistry lab and teach literature and psychology, per NPR.
However, it was his "work later in life, teaching literature and psychology" that "taught him how to get people back into the church," per Today Online.
Photos of a much younger Francis circulated online amid his recent health scare—which landed him in the hospital for 38 days from Feb. 14 to March 23 after developing complications from pneumonia.
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On Instagram, one user reacted to his bouncer job, writing, "Imagine getting tossed out of a nightclub by a future pope."
Someone else on Reddit echoed, "Imagine having a vague memory of getting kicked out of a nightclub in your youth and you swear it was the pope and nobody believes you."
Another Reddit user pointed out that the photo of the pontiff in his younger years and riding on a subway in Argentina looks "like "Jonathan Pryce in a spy thriller."
Someone else on Reddit spoke as if channeling the Pope as a club bouncer, writing, "'Sorry, my child, but the entrance to this holy club is closed for you tonight. Maybe next time, bring a better vibe and a valid ID. And remember the kingdom of Heaven has no cover charge.'"
Pope Francis ultimately joined the Jesuits in 1958 and was ordained as a priest in 1969. On March 13, he marked the 12th anniversary of his papacy as he was elected to lead the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013.
Next: Pope Francis' Last Public Appearance Was Just Hours Before His Death
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