Vatican City, March 19 (dpa/GNA) – Pope Francis started his inauguration mass Tuesday before hundreds of thousands of faithful assembled in Saint Peter’s Square, as well as political and religious dignitaries from all over the world.
The 76-year-old Argentinian was elected the 266th leader of the Catholic Church on Wednesday, following the surprise resignation last month of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Before the service, the pontiff rode through the square in an open-topped jeep for about 20 minutes, smiling, waving at the crowds and doing thumbs up gestures. He kissed a few babies and got off the car once to greet a disabled man.
The mass started at around 9:50 am (0850 GMT) and was expected to last about two hours. Before leading the open air service, taking place under sunny weather, Francis went inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, and knelt to pray at the site of Saint Peter’s tomb.
The pontiff then took part in a procession and was given the pallium – a special scarf – and the fisherman’s ring, both symbols of the papacy. He was also sworn formal allegiance by a delegation of cardinals.
Confirming his taste for simplicity, the pope has opted for a gold plated silver ring, rather than one made of pure gold.
Since being elected, Jorge Maria Bergoglio has been praised for his simple, down-to-earth approach, which has on several occasions led him to ignore protocol – refusing, for example, to be driven around in a papal limousine.
Delegations from 33 Christian Churches and 132 national governments or international organizations, as well as Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist leaders, came to attend his inauguration mass.
The Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, was among them. Vatican officials said it was the first time that the top representative of the Orthodox Church attended a papal inauguration since the split with Rome in 1054.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, US Vice President Joe Biden, Brazilian President Dilma Roussef and Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner were also present, along with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who defied a European Union travel ban to attend the ceremony.
GNA