He is the first pope from Latin America, the first pope to bear the name Francis, and the first sitting pope to publish a memoir since the 15th century.

autobiography of pope francis, hopeThe book will be available in bookstores in more than 80 countries on Tuesday (January 14), according to its publisher Penguin Random House.

Co-author Carlo Musso wrote that the plan is to publish the pope's memoirs after his death. But Francis decided to publish the book early to coincide with the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year, which begins on Christmas Eve.

exist hopeFrancis reiterated many of the themes of his pontificate: a deep-seated hatred of war and uncontrolled capitalism; concern for the environment; a desire for Catholic churches to be viewed as field hospitals rather than fortresses.

Although the publisher claims it is the first memoir by a sitting pope, it lags centuries behind Pope Pius II's reflections on the Renaissance in his Commentary.

Still, it's quite unusual for a modern pope to express his thoughts so directly. Here are five new things we learned about Francis in “Hope.”

1. He was barely born.

The Pope's memoirs begin with a dramatic shipwreck.

"Many passengers fell or drowned in the sea," he wrote. "Some were said to have been overcome by despair. Others were eaten alive by sharks, according to local newspapers."

The ocean liner became known as the "Italian Titanic" when it sank off the coast of Brazil, killing nearly 300 people.

As a young boy, Francis heard many stories about that ship. For good reason.

His grandparents and their only son, Mario, had already booked tickets for the flight. But they were unable to sell their property in Italy in time to travel to Argentina. Due to the delay, they changed their tickets to a later date.

"That's why I'm here now," Francis wrote. “You can’t imagine how many times I’ve thanked God for His providence.”

2. His father died after suffering a heart attack during a football match.

The Pope is a famous football fan, or as he and most of the world would say, football. He had a special fondness for the San Lorenzo club near Buenos Aires.

But during a football match in San Lorenzo, tragedy struck Frances' family. His father, Mario, suffered a heart attack while cheering for a goal. He was carried home and received medical attention, but died of a heart attack within 20 days on September 24, 1961. Only 53 years old. As the oldest of his parents' five children, the future pope had to grow up quickly and take care of his siblings.

3. He swears not to watch TV and doesn’t really cheat.

Journalists covering the Vatican have heard for years that Francis doesn't watch television, but the reasons behind this habit have been somewhat mysterious.

In "Hope," Francis revealed that he took a vow to the Virgin Mary on July 15, 1990. That night, he wrote, he was watching television with the Jesuit community in Buenos Aires when "a sordid scene appeared on the screen that deeply offended me."

"It was as if God told me that television was not for me, that it would do me no good," Pope wrote.

The pope has made rare exceptions - such as September 11, 2001. But for the most part, he kept his vows, even if it meant missing San Lorenzo football games. The Swiss Guard protected him: they left notes on his desk recording the latest scores and standings.

4. Potential assassins attack Pope during his visit to Iraq

The pope said all his advisers told him it would be too dangerous to visit Iraq in 2021. In fact, Francis was targeted during this trip.

British secret services informed Vatican security that a woman carrying explosives — “a young kamikaze,” in the Pope’s words — “was heading to Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit. A truck set off at high speed with the same intention. "

The Pope asked Vatican security what happened to the would-be assassins. "The commander replied succinctly: 'They are no longer there.'"

Iraqi police "intercepted and blew them up," the pope wrote. "It also shook me deeply."

5. He planned his funeral carefully.

The pope revealed in 2023 that he did not want to be buried in St. Peter's Basilica, the final resting place of many former popes. Instead, he chose his favorite church in Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore, where he often went to pray before important moments.

"The Vatican is my last place of worship, not my eternal home," Francis wrote.

The Pope didn't want a lavish funeral either. In fact, he asked the celebrant to radically simplify the traditional ritual of a papal funeral.

"With dignity, but like any Christian," Francis wrote, "because the Bishop of Rome is a priest and a disciple, not a powerful man of this world."