Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Vatican on Tuesday. Francis was slowly driven around a sun-drenched St. Peter’s Square in an open-top car, shunning the bulletproof, air-conditioned popemobile preferred by his predecessors. At one point, he asked to stop the car and got out to bless a disabled person. Religion News Service photos by Andrea Sabbadini.
Click any image below to view a photo slideshow.
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- Priests and nuns arrive at the inauguration Mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Nuns attend the inauguration Mass of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis issued a powerful call for the protection of the environment and of society’s most vulnerable during his formal installation Mass at the Vatican, while qualifying his papal power as a “service” to the church and to humanity. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Cardinals listen during Pope Francis’ grandiose inauguration Mass on Tuesday (March 19) at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. World leaders flew in for Pope Francis’ inauguration Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday where Latin America’s first pontiff will receive the formal symbols of papal power. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- Faithful visitors receive Communion during the inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- St. Peter’s Square during Pope Francis’ grandiose inauguration Mass on (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- St. Peter’s Square during Pope Francis’ inaugural Mass on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
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- People pray during Pope Francis’ inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
