Pope Francis officially began his ministry today in an installation Mass simplified to suit his style, but still grand enough to draw hundreds of thousands of people to St. Peter's Square to witness the start of his papacy.
Francis thrilled the crowd at the start of the Mass by touring the sun-drenched piazza and getting out of his jeep to bless a disabled man and kiss children.
It was a gesture from a man whose short papacy is becoming defined by such spontaneous forays into the crowd and concern for the disadvantaged.
The blue and white flags from Francis' native Argentina fluttered above the crowd and civil protection crews closed the main streets leading to the square to traffic and set up barricades for nearly a mile (two kilometres) along the route to try to control the masses and allow official delegations through.
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