The Pope Was Inaugurated, and Joe Biden Was There (Photos)
Photos from Pope Francis’s inaugural mass.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
It’s official: we have a pope! Pope Francis held his inaugural mass on Tuesday with up to one million pilgrims—including Joe Biden and Robert Mugabe—in the Vatican. Francis, the first Jesuit pope, received spontaneous applause as he gave a homily about how “hatred, envy and pride defile our lives”—and ended the homily by asking people to pray for him. Francis received his papal palladium made of lamb’s wool and the “fisherman’s ring” bearing the image of St. Peter—officially making him the 266th pope. Francis then received the obedience of the cardinals and the mass officially began. He proved his dedication to the mass was no joke as he exited the Popemobile and kissed a disabled man as part of his trip around through the crowd.
Alessandro Di Meo/EPA, via Landov
Priests line up in St. Peter's Square.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Hundreds of faithful watch Pope Francis' installation Mass on a big screen outside the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Natacha Pisarenko/AP
The Fisherman's Ring is placed on the finger of Pope Francis by Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
Stefano Rellandini/Reuters, via Landov
U.S. vice-president Joe Biden attends Pope Francis's installation.
Riccardo De Luca/AP
Pope Francis waves as he is driven through the crowd prior to his inaugural mass. Pope Francis thrilled tens of thousands of people on Tuesday gathered for his installation Mass, taking a long round-about through St. Peter's Square and getting out of his jeep to bless a disabled man in a wheelchair in the crowd.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Pope Francis kisses a handicapped person as he arrives in St. Peter's square.
Valdrin Xhemaj/EPA, via Landov
Argentina's President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner arrives to attend Pope Francis' inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square. She met with the new pope on Monday, and asked the pope to intervene in Argentina's dispute with the Falkland Islands.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the papamobile. Hundreds of thousands of faithful, as well as political and religious dignitaries from all over the world, attended the mass.
Oded Balilty/AP
A young priest punches the air as he reaches his seat in Vatican square.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
Pope Francis arrives in Saint Peter's Square.
Paul Hanna/Reuters, via Landov
Dutch Prince Alexander, second left, his wife Princess Maxima, left, Prince Felipe of Spain, right, and his wife Princess Letizia in St. Peter's Square.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe joined in the festivities in St. Peter's Square.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Nuns run in Saint Peter's Square to take a good vantage point before Francis's inaugural mass.
Max Rossi/Reuters, via Landov
Nuns line up for the inaugural mass.
Oded Balilty/AP
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