A unique gourd for Pope Francis: Discover our story

Jorge Mario Bergoglio , known as Pope Francis , is the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome. Elected in March 2013, he is the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit Pope. Known for his humility, simplicity, and commitment to the most vulnerable, Pope Francis is a fervent advocate for social justice and environmental protection.

Originally from Argentina, Pope Francis grew up in a culture where maté is very present . The South American drink, often shared among friends and family, is a symbol of conviviality and solidarity .

That's why we weren't surprised when his advisors sought to give him a personalized mate gourd, an object that is both symbolic and functional . In fact, he often appears in public with a mate gourd.

The story begins when one of Pope Francis' advisors made direct contact with our company.
Knowing our reputation for creating handcrafted yerba mate gourds, he entrusted us with the task of designing a unique gourd. Without hesitation, we set to work with our partner artisan, Cristian.

The first step in this prestigious project was to understand the expectations of the Pope's advisors. We therefore held a meeting to discuss this.

For the advisors, it was crucial that the calabash reflect not only the Argentine culture dear to Pope Francis, but also the values ​​he defends.

They chose to incorporate emblems and flags such as the Vatican flag , the Jesuit emblem , and the emblem of his favorite football team , San Lorenzo.

They wanted to add Pope Francis' motto " Miserando Atque Eligendo ", meaning " Chosen because forgiven ", to the rim of the gourd.

Finally, they wanted several saints inscribed on the mate gourd. We therefore opted for a laser engraving directly onto the leather.

The gourd for mate for Pope Francis

For this project, we did not deviate from our usual practices and selected materials of the highest quality.

The calabash was made from a natural Brazilian gourd, carefully selected for its durability and aesthetics , to create an imperial calabash .

Of course, like all our imperial gourds, alpaca was selected for the hoops, and bronze was used for the crests, flags and inscriptions on the hoops.

Our craftsman, Cristian, poured all his expertise into the making of this mate gourd. Every step, from preparing the gourd to applying the decorations, was carried out with extreme precision and care.

The calabash is encircled with the motto of Pope Francis.

Once the gourd was finished, it was carefully packaged and sent to the Vatican. It was handed to him personally by a member of his entourage .

We later learned that Pope Francis was deeply moved by the work done. We don't know if it's often used or if it proudly sits in one of his boxes!

Pope Francis receives his personalized calabash

The gourd used for yerba mate is more than just a utilitarian object. It represents a tradition and a symbol of sharing and community. For Pope Francis, who values ​​simplicity and human connection , this gift has a profound meaning.

Creating this mate gourd for Pope Francis was an unforgettable experience for our team. This project allowed us to showcase our artisanal expertise while honoring an iconic figure of our time.

We are proud to have contributed, in our own way, to the Pope's daily life and to have created for him, at the request of his entourage, an object that symbolizes both his Argentinian roots and his spiritual values.

Since 2018, we have been producing mate gourds or personalized gourds with our partner.

We are delighted to assist you in creating a unique and meaningful object.