The world said goodbye on Monday, April 21, from Pope Francis, who departed at the age of 88, after several months of fighting pneumonia. The news shook faithful from around the world, leaving a deep void in the leadership of the Catholic Church. Francisco will be remembered not only for his renovations and proximity messages, but also for simple gestures that marked his personality. One of these moments happened during his visit to Portugal in August 2023.
The Pope was five days in Lisbon under the World Youth Days, one of the most striking events of his pontificate. The visit featured a program filled with meetings with young people and religious leaders. Some of these hearings were not initially foreseen, revealing Francisco’s sensitivity and flexibility. Still, the church leader managed to maintain a discreet and luxurious routine.
Simple and without waste meals
During his stay in Portugal, Francisco was housed in the apostolic nunciature, where he opted for simple meals. Vatican’s staff was clear in the requests: no banquets or elaborate dishes. “The Pope eats little and wants, at all costs, to avoid waste,” he told a source linked to the organization. The simplicity of their eating habits surprised those who expected to find a preference for typical Portuguese sweets.
Preference for fruit and orange juice
Instead of the usual pastel of Belém, Francisco opted for a basket of fresh fruits, where they could never miss bananas and orange juice. The daily delivery was the responsibility of the supermarkets El Corte Inglés, official partners of the event. The fruit was chosen with criteria, giving priority to national products, such as the apple of Alcobaça, the pear rock or the orange of the Algarve. Also the Banana da Madeira always did part of the whole.
A habit that comes from the Philippines
It was not the first time Francis had made this kind of request. Already in 2015, during his visit to the Philippines, a similar selection was organized in the nunciature of Manila. In addition to the fruit, meals included cold meats, cheese, jams and yogurts. The concern for food balance was a constant throughout your life. Light and nourishing breakfasts were the rule for the Argentine Pope.
Marmalade never missed
One of his most ‘curious’ habits was a taste for marmalade, which made a point of keeping even in the Vatican. According to the testimony of collaborators, Francisco woke up around 4:30 pm to pray and meditate before taking breakfast. “After the mass, I ate in the dining room of Santa Marta’s house and there was always marmelada,” he said. This taste goes back to his youth in Argentina and accompanied it to the last days.
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During the trip to the Philippines, the nunciature invited chef Jessie Sincioco to support the local kitchen team. It was the chef who had the responsibility to prepare the Pope’s dinners. “It was mainly dealt with dinners, always healthy, balanced and without great extravagance,” he told the newspaper The Philippine Inquirer. The experience marked the chef deeply. “Even today I am thrilled to have served his holiness,” he took over at the time.
According to Jessie Sincioco, four distinct menus were prepared throughout the stay. One of the dishes served was fried Chilean sea bass, but the Pope ended up not finishing him. “The broth and the dumplings must have filled it very fast, because it could not end the dish. risotto And the grilled vegetables, ”he said. Still, there was a dish that enchanted him. We talked about the mango flambered with an ice cream maintained.
Pope’s favorite dessert
This Philippine dessert quickly became a favorite of the Pope. The next day, the menu included grilled chicken with chimichurri sauce, a typical Argentine recipe, Francisco’s homeland. The chef wanted to surprise with an emotional touch and hit. The Pope could not resist dishes that made him feel at home.
Bananas to dessert
As a dessert, that same day, a banana cuea fried banana skewer with brown sugar. Once again, the simplicity of flavors conquered the Pope. The use of banana, fruit that Francisco frequently consumed, was revealed a certain bet. “He was visibly satisfied,” recalls Sincioco. The taste for simple things was, after all, one of his greatest brands.
On the last day in the Philippines, the dinner was more elaborated, but the spirit of sobriety remained. Were served soufflé of chocolate, carbonara and rhosbife. In the menu was still a consumes of asparagus, grilled bass with tomato sauce and artichokes, and risotto of vegetables with wild rice. As a dessert, a dulce de leche cake, reminiscent of South American flavors.
A glass of ever present wine
Another ‘curious’ detail is that Francis was never dismissing a glass of wine to the meal. In Portugal, this requirement was respected with Italian wine, as was his habit. The only exception happened on the return flight to Rome aboard a TAP plane. The menu, prepared by chef Vítor Sobral, was accompanied by Portuguese wine, chosen especially for the occasion.
A legacy of faith and simplicity
Francis’ legacy will be remembered in many respects, namely in faith, compassion, humility, but also in the small gestures that revealed his humanity. As he said, “the greatness is in the simplest details.”
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