In a ceremony steeped in pageantry and symbolism, the Bishop of Rome
was officially installed against the magnificent backdrop of St Peter’s
Basilica.Watched by about 200,000,including 31 heads of state and government and 132 foreign delegations, Pope Francis made his entrance to St Peter’s Square amid trumpet blasts and a rousing reception from the faithful.
Standing in the back of an open-top jeep, the new Pope waved and gave the thumbs up to his audience, in keeping with the laid-back style that is becoming a hallmark of his papacy.
Already labelled the “unpredictable pope” because of his spontaneous words and actions, Papa Francesco kept security on their toes when he got out of the jeep to greet some pilgrims and kiss a few foreheads.
Swiss Guards manned various points around the plaza where people had started gathering from the early hours of the morning. Security was formidable and helicopters hovered overhead as the leader of the world’s 1.2bn Catholics continued his tour of the plaza before returning to the basilica.
On the steps of St Peter’s, where a red throne was installed, Pope Francis received the symbols of papal power.
Dressed in simple white robes, in stark contrast to the elaborate garb of his cardinals, the Pope was first given the pallium, a lambswool shawl symbolising his role as a shepherd. He was then presented with a fisherman’s ring, the legacy of St Peter, after which six cardinals pledged obedience, a standard rite of the ceremony.
The Pope then opened the Mass with the words “Pax vobis”, Latin for “Peace be with you”.
He urged the princes, world leaders and thousands of ordinary people at his installation Mass to protect the environment, the weakest, and the poorest.
Pope Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily, including when he spoke of the need to protect the environment, serve one another with love, and not allow “omens of destruction”, hatred, envy, and pride to “defile our lives”.
He said the role of the pope is to open his arms and protect all of humanity, but “especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: The hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and those in prison”.
“Today, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others,” he said.
“To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope, it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds.”
During the homily, delivered in glorious sunshine, the Pope emphasised how he saw his role as one of giving service. There were cheers from the faithful as he said “the true power of the pope is service... a service humble, solid, and full of faith”.
Among those attending the ceremony was President Michael D Higgins, who later spoke with the Pope. During a brief exchange in the Basilica, the pontiff asked Mr Higgins to pass his greetings to the Irish people.
“Best wishes to the people of Ireland,” he said. “And I ask them for their prayers.”
The ceremony was not as well attended as the Vatican might have wished for. A predicted audience of 1m was wildly optimistic. There were dozens of empty seats in the upper half of the plaza while hundreds were forced to remain behind barriers on the Via della Conciliazione.
However, for those of us with a bird’s eye view from a rooftop terrace, the richness of the imagery will endure forever.