Pope Francis sets his own style on the papacy

Sending a message of radical humility Latin America’s first pope, Francis 1 has begun his reign at the Vatican. The 76-year-old is regarded as a conservative, but is also seen as a potential force for reform. Yesterday wearing simple black shoes and an ordinary wrist watch to his first Mass as pontiff, he issued a warning to cardinals in the Sistine chapel. “We can walk all we want, we can build many things, but if we don’t proclaim Jesus Christ, something is wrong. We would end up a compassionate NGO.” Today Pope Francis will meet all the cardinals, including those aged over 80 who did not take part in the conclave. Having on day one rejected some of the trimmings of office, he has instructed them to wear plain black cassocks and not the red with white lace surplices.