Pope Francis, barely 12 hours after his election, quietly left the Vatican early on Thursday to pray for guidance as he looks to usher a Roman Catholic Church mired in intrigue and scandal into a new age of simplicity and humility.
Francis, the Argentinean cardinal who has become the first Pope born outside Europe in 1,300 years, went to Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; there he prayed before a famed icon of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which is known as the Salus Populi Romani, or Protectress of the Roman People .
The newly-elected Pope shunned the special chauffeur-driven “Vatican One” limousine after being picked as Pontiff, the Vatican said.
“Instead of the formal Vatican One car he preferred to take the minibus with the other cardinals,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said. The new Pope then dined with the cardinals in a Vatican residence where he thanked them for electing him but then quipped: “God forgive you for what you’ve done!”
The new Pope has a reputation as a humble pastor who has shunned many of the perks of high office in the Church. Lombardi said that immediately after his nomination, Francis had greeted the cardinals standing up instead of sitting down on his papal throne — also indicating a change in style at the Vatican.
On Thursday, Francis went back to the clergy house in a city centre side street where he had been staying before the conclave.
“He packed his bags and then he went to pay the bill for his room so as to set a good example,” said Lombardi. Lombardi also said the Pope had travelled to the basilica in a simple Vatican gendarmerie car “without a motorcade”.