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| Pope Francis Praises Benedict, Urges Cardinals to Spread Gospel | Pope Francis Praises Benedict, Urges Cardinals to Spread Gospel |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ROME — On the second day of his papacy, Pope Francis offered warm praise on Friday to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, saying that his nearly eight years as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics had “lit a flame in the depths of our hearts.” | ROME — On the second day of his papacy, Pope Francis offered warm praise on Friday to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, saying that his nearly eight years as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics had “lit a flame in the depths of our hearts.” |
| On Thursday — the first full day of his papacy — Francis seemed to bring a new tone of humility and frugality to the Vatican and he struck the same theme on Friday when he spoke to the church’s cardinals, urging them to persevere and find ways to spread word of their faith around the world. | On Thursday — the first full day of his papacy — Francis seemed to bring a new tone of humility and frugality to the Vatican and he struck the same theme on Friday when he spoke to the church’s cardinals, urging them to persevere and find ways to spread word of their faith around the world. |
| “Let us not give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day,” he said. But he offered no direct allusion to the myriad challenges facing the Vatican from a series of sexual abuse, financial and other scandals swirling around the church, overwhelming Benedict’s papacy. | “Let us not give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day,” he said. But he offered no direct allusion to the myriad challenges facing the Vatican from a series of sexual abuse, financial and other scandals swirling around the church, overwhelming Benedict’s papacy. |
| Seeking to define the new pope’s approach, Vatican officials noted that he addressed the cardinals as “Brother Cardinals,” not the more usual “Lord Cardinals.” Offering more evidence of the shift, the officials said that at meals with the cardinals, he takes any seat that is free. | Seeking to define the new pope’s approach, Vatican officials noted that he addressed the cardinals as “Brother Cardinals,” not the more usual “Lord Cardinals.” Offering more evidence of the shift, the officials said that at meals with the cardinals, he takes any seat that is free. |
| According to the officials, Francis, formerly the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, frequently extemporizes, making it more difficult for the papal press office to deliver texts of addresses like Friday’s. | |
| “That’s the cost of having such spontaneity,” said Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman. | “That’s the cost of having such spontaneity,” said Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman. |
| But there was one clearly unchoreographed moment. Francis, 76, stumbled briefly as he greeted the dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, but swiftly recovered from the trip. | But there was one clearly unchoreographed moment. Francis, 76, stumbled briefly as he greeted the dean of the College of Cardinals, Angelo Sodano, but swiftly recovered from the trip. |
| Elected on Wednesday, Francis is the first non-European pope for over 1,200 years and the first from the Americas. Vatican officials said on Friday that he had urged bishops and the faithful in his native Argentina not to spend money on a long journey to attend his formal inauguration next Tuesday but to make a donation to the poor. Since his inaugural appearance as pope, he has offered enthusiastic tribute to Benedict, now pope emeritus. Vatican officials said the new pope planned at some stage to visit Benedict at the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where he is living while an apartment is made ready for him at the Vatican. In his retirement, Benedict has said, he plans to live “hidden to the world.” | |
| Last month, Benedict became the first pope in six centuries to resign, citing failing powers and old age and precipitating a scramble for the succession in which Francis was not widely seen as being among the front-runners. | Last month, Benedict became the first pope in six centuries to resign, citing failing powers and old age and precipitating a scramble for the succession in which Francis was not widely seen as being among the front-runners. |
| In his first audience with the cardinals, Francis told them that Benedict’s papacy and teachings had “enriched and invigorated" the Catholic Church and had “lit a flame in the depths of our hearts that will continue to burn because it is fueled by his prayers that will support the church on its missionary path.” | In his first audience with the cardinals, Francis told them that Benedict’s papacy and teachings had “enriched and invigorated" the Catholic Church and had “lit a flame in the depths of our hearts that will continue to burn because it is fueled by his prayers that will support the church on its missionary path.” |
| Sometimes speaking without notes, Francis observed that many of the cardinals were of advanced age, and he told them: “Let us give this wisdom to young people; like good wine, it becomes better with age. Let us give to young people the wisdom of life.” | Sometimes speaking without notes, Francis observed that many of the cardinals were of advanced age, and he told them: “Let us give this wisdom to young people; like good wine, it becomes better with age. Let us give to young people the wisdom of life.” |
| After his remarks, Francis greeted the cardinals one by one, shaking their hands and hugging some. He also accepted letters and presents from them, including a yellow bracelet that he immediately wore on his right wrist. | After his remarks, Francis greeted the cardinals one by one, shaking their hands and hugging some. He also accepted letters and presents from them, including a yellow bracelet that he immediately wore on his right wrist. |
| On Thursday, on his first full day as pope, Francis stopped off at a Vatican residence to pay his hotel bill and pick up his luggage, a day after becoming pope, dramatically shifting the tone of the papacy. | On Thursday, on his first full day as pope, Francis stopped off at a Vatican residence to pay his hotel bill and pick up his luggage, a day after becoming pope, dramatically shifting the tone of the papacy. |
| Whereas Benedict was a theologian who favored scarlet slippers, ermine-lined cloaks and erudite homilies, reviving papal fashions from centuries past, Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, appeared Thursday to be sending a message of radical humility. | Whereas Benedict was a theologian who favored scarlet slippers, ermine-lined cloaks and erudite homilies, reviving papal fashions from centuries past, Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, appeared Thursday to be sending a message of radical humility. |
| “This choice indicates above all a style for the church: simplicity, poverty, rigor,” said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, the editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, a Jesuit journal close to the Vatican Secretariat of State. | “This choice indicates above all a style for the church: simplicity, poverty, rigor,” said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, the editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, a Jesuit journal close to the Vatican Secretariat of State. |
| One question that has been raised since Francis’ election has been the role he played during the years of military dictatorship. At a news conference on Friday, a Vatican spokesman said there had been “no compromise by Cardinal Bergoglio with the dictatorship.” | |
Gaia Pianigiani reported from Rome and Alan Cowell from London. | Gaia Pianigiani reported from Rome and Alan Cowell from London. |