The bearer of the highest title in the Roman Catholic church, Pope Francis was well known for leading a humble lifestyle that included cooking his meals

Although he eventually became the Pope, as a teenager, he had contemplated becoming a doctor or a chemist

Pope Francis was an ardent football lover, and the sport played a significant role in his younger days. He played as a goalkeeper and viewed it as a valuable life lesson

As a young man, he was known to dance to the Argentine ango, a passion that ran deep within him

His love for tango inspired hundreds of couples to perform a mass tango in Rome to honour him on his 78th birthday. When he was hospitalised in critical condition, tango dancers performed outside the hospital to cheer him up

If there was one food that held Pope Francis`s heart, it was pizza. In his autobiography Hope, he recounted his love for pizza and how it became a way to celebrate life’s little wins during his childhood. From celebrating his 81st birthday with a pizza party to ending his hospital stay in 2023 with slices of pizza for dinner, his bond with pizza remained inseparable.

Pope Francis` simple yet profound life journey reminds us that a life of service can beautifully coexist with the simple joys of life that include food, sport and dance too