The large processional cross rising into view from the balcony signaled to the crowd below the imminent greeting by the new pope, introduced first by Cardinal Tauran as ‘Francis.’ Jorge Bergoglio, the man who stepped out on the loggia from behind that cross, was not exactly who they had been expecting, and neither were his actions. He was dressed in a simple white cassock and white zucchetto, without the beautiful and elaborate stole and red cape worn by his predecessors at their first address. It almost seemed he didn’t know what to do with the sustained cheering that awaited him. He gave one modest wave and then stood motionless as he gazed out stunned onto the lighted St. Peter’s Square to the huge crowd that had gathered there after dusk for this very purpose.
He finally addressed the crowds, “Brothers and sisters, good evening! You know that it was the duty of the Conclave to give Rome a Bishop. It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth to get one... but here we are... I thank you for your welcome. The diocesan community of Rome now has its Bishop. Thank you!” The new Holy Father’s Argentine friends would surely catch the reference to their homeland as the ‘End of the World,’ stretching over 2,300 miles from the mountainous Bolivian border southward to the Terra del Fuego, separated from Antarctica by the Drake Passage.
The preferred title Pope Francis chose for himself then and thereafter was ‘Bishop.’ A ‘pope,’ which means ‘father,’ is father to the universal Church, and has jurisdiction over the Church because he is the successor of the Apostle Peter. Christ gave the keys of the Kingdom to Peter in Matthew 16:18: “You are Peter [which means Rock], and upon this rock I will build my church....” As Providence would have it, Peter became head of the local church at Rome, the capital of the empire that engulfed the Mediterranean Sea, and the lands that surrounded it: the civilized western world.
There are two reasons that Pope Francis prefers to refer to himself as a bishop. First, wanting always to promote what he calls a “culture of encounter” through closeness to the people, he sees his relationship as bishop of the diocesan community of Rome as modeling the relationship that should take place between the clergy around the world and their congregations. While a pope is a world leader, governing millions of people he cannot meet in person, a bishop gets to know many people in his diocese and the people have the opportunity to get to know the bishop, even often developing a relationship with him. As pope, Francis' relationship with the faithful of Rome is an important example for clergy to be pastors who, as he says, should be “shepherds living with the smell of their sheep” and leaders who foster the spiritual communion and fraternity of the local church.
Pope Francis' words are reminiscent of the words said at Mass, “Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with [Francis] our Pope and [N.] our Bishop and all the clergy” (from Eucharistic Prayer II as translated by ICEL). Francis, Bishop of Rome, continues in his first address, “And now, we take up this journey: Bishop and People. This journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches. A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us.”
The second reason for preferring to be called a bishop is ecumenical. Pope Francis, as a former ordinary for Eastern rite Catholics in Argentina that were in communion with Rome, also has to connect with those Eastern Christians that were separated from Rome in 1054, a time of the first great division in Christianity. The split happened over a crisis being handled in an uncharitable manner and ended with bishops excommunicating each other. While Catholics and Eastern Christians share a great deal in their beliefs, one difference is the Eastern belief in the collegiality of the bishops in such a way that the Apostle Peter was first among equals.
In contrast, Catholics believe in the primacy of the pope with universal jurisdiction. Vatican II, however, affirmed that the collegiality of bishops and the primacy of the pope are compatible, when properly understood. Father Spadaro recalls in his interview with the Pope, “Pope Francis spoke about ‘the path of collegiality’ as the road that can lead the church to ‘grow in harmony with the service of primacy.’ So I ask: ‘How can we reconcile in harmony Petrine primacy and collegiality? Which roads are feasible also from an ecumenical perspective?’” The Pope responded, “We must walk together: the people, the bishops and the pope. Synodality [the gathering of bishops to work out Church matters] should be lived at various levels.” The Eastern Christians were listening; Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, chose to attend Pope Francis’ inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, representing the first of his line ever to do so.
Twice during his first address, the Bishop of Rome asked the people to pray. First, he led them in the three most basic and universal prayers memorized by the faithful as children, Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, for “our Bishop Emeritus, Benedict XVI.” Next, he told them, “Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity. It is my hope for you that this journey of the Church, which we start today... will be fruitful for the evangelization of this most beautiful city.”
Before imparting his first Apostolic blessing, an expectation of all new popes, he bowed and asked the people to pray for him, also emphasizing the role of the laity within the Church in walking together with their pastors. “And now I would like to give the blessing, but first - first I ask a favor of you: before the Bishop blesses his people, I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their Bishop. Let us make, in silence, this prayer: your prayer over me.” Then, after the people’s silent prayer, he briefly donned the ornate papal stole while giving the Apostolic blessing before promptly taking it off.
After the blessing, he parted with these words: “Brothers and sisters, I leave you now. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and until we meet again. We will see each other soon. Tomorrow I wish to go and pray to Our Lady, that she may watch over all of Rome. Good night and sleep well!” It would not be long before the people saw the ‘Bishop’ again.