Pope Francis broke some rules when he was elected the Pope on 13th March, 2013, to bring in his simple life.

Pope Francis broke some rules when he was elected the Pope on 13th March, 2013, to bring in his simple life.

While they were dressing him up before the announcement and subsequent greeting and prayers before the people of God, he somehow surprised the Cardinals who elected him and the Bishops who were present.

He rejected 3 things on his body as a dress code.

~ The papal Red customized Shoes for the Popes and asked for his ONLY black shoe he has been wearing as the Archbishop in Argentina.

~ He rejected the Gold Pectoral Cross meant for the Popes alone and decided to go with Old Simple silver Cross he used as an Archbishop.

~ He rejected the ermine-trimmed red velvet Mozzetta, which has been so customary to many Popes before him, calling it “Royal”.

After greeting the crowd at St. Peter’s Basilica Square, who gathered that night to herald the new Pope, he also refused to be taken back to his room with the Limousine made available that night for him.
He later joined the other Cardinals in the common Bus taking them back to their quarters.

The next morning, he also rejected the Mercedes-Benz bulletproof car brought for his use, and instead went with the simple economy car.
He asked them to take him to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which was the first Church he entered to pray after his election as Pope, and that is the same place he has asked to be buried.

He rejected the Papal “Apostolic Palace” and instead took a space at the Casa Santa Marta, where he owns three rooms – a living room, a study, and a bedroom and all of them small spaces, just like rooms meant for students in Boarding schools.

He was the first Pope to live outside the Apostolic Palace since the 17th Century.

He will be the first Pope to be buried outside St. Peter’s Basilica in over 120 years.

It may be interesting to note that his simple life didn’t start as a Pope. He has been known in Argentina as the Archbishop who NEVER dressed as an Archbishop.

When he was appointed a Cardinal by Pope St. John Paul II, he didn’t get new Robes for cardinals, he rather took the old ones from his predecessor(s), took them to the tailor to arrange them to fit him.

Across the globe, the rich and people in positions of power emphasize their status by using luxury brand cars and designers clothes and jewelries. Francis has always refused such status symbols.

When he became Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1998, he sold the big car that his predecessor had used and found a new job for the chauffeur.

As pope, he has frequently railed against clergy or religious who drive in the latest model cars, denouncing it as “a scandal” and an offense to the poor.

A man like Papa Francisco 

Rest in perfect peace, The Pontiff.