Thousands Attend Pope Francis I Inauguration Ceremony
By: CNN/CNN Video
Updated: March 19, 2013
Rome (CNN) -- It was with a call for the protection of the weakest in society that Francis was officially inaugurated Tuesday as the Catholic Church's 266th pontiff, before a crowd of tens of thousands bathed in sunlight.
Giving his homily before the throngs in St. Peter's Square, Francis showed the humility and concern for ordinary people that have been noted since he became the first Latin American to be elected pope six days ago.
Before he spoke, he was given the official symbols of his papacy: a lamb's wool shawl, to represent his role as "the good shepherd," and the Fisherman's Ring, to represent his role of spreading the gospel.
The ring is secondhand and is not solid gold like that of his predecessors, but made of gold-plated silver -- again reflecting his desire for simplicity.
The pope delivered his homily in Italian, rooted in a message of looking after the poor and sick, as well as the natural world.
He reflected first on the symbolism of the date: this is the day that Catholics celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph to honor Jesus' father on Earth, the carpenter Joseph.
Francis spoke of Joseph's role in protecting not only Jesus and Mary, but also the church.
He spoke too of the need to protect "all creation, the beauty of the created world" as instructed by the Bible and shown by St. Francis of Assisi, whose name he took as pope.
This, he said, "means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about."
Giving his homily before the throngs in St. Peter's Square, Francis showed the humility and concern for ordinary people that have been noted since he became the first Latin American to be elected pope six days ago.
Before he spoke, he was given the official symbols of his papacy: a lamb's wool shawl, to represent his role as "the good shepherd," and the Fisherman's Ring, to represent his role of spreading the gospel.
The ring is secondhand and is not solid gold like that of his predecessors, but made of gold-plated silver -- again reflecting his desire for simplicity.
The pope delivered his homily in Italian, rooted in a message of looking after the poor and sick, as well as the natural world.
He reflected first on the symbolism of the date: this is the day that Catholics celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph to honor Jesus' father on Earth, the carpenter Joseph.
Francis spoke of Joseph's role in protecting not only Jesus and Mary, but also the church.
He spoke too of the need to protect "all creation, the beauty of the created world" as instructed by the Bible and shown by St. Francis of Assisi, whose name he took as pope.
This, he said, "means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about."
