Pope Francis was officially inaugurated as the 266th pontiff in an open-air mass on Tuesday in front tens of thousands Catholic believers.
Pope Francis was officially inaugurated as the 266th pontiff in an open-air mass on Tuesday in front tens of thousands Catholic believers.
Before the mass, Pope Francis greeted the crowd on St. Peter's Square from an open-air popemobile.
As the ceremony began, Francis received two symbols of papacy - the Fisherman’s Ring made of gold-plated silver and the pallium, a white woolen vestment that symbolizes the role of the pope as a good shepherd.
Some 250 cardinals were present at the mass.
Delegations of 132 countries and international organizations attended the mass.
Between 150,000 and 200,000 believers gathered on St. Peter's Square under the sunny skies to greet the pope.
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© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Astapkovich
“To protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves: This is a service that the Bishop of Rome is called to carry out, yet one to which all of us are called, so that the star of hope will shine brightly,” Pope Francis said during the mass.
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© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Astapkovich
After the mass, the pope and cardinals returned to St. Peter's Basilica to meet with members of foreign delegations.
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© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Astapkovich
Catholic cardinals during the pope's inauguration.
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© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Astapkovich
Nuns watching the pope's inauguration from a window.
