Argentina is in the grip of Franciscomania....
For the rest of the world, it may be just another Pope, for Argentina it is the biggest event in decades
From The northern border of Jujuy down to the southernmost City of the world, Ushuaia, from Cordoba near the Andes and Buenos Aires near the Atlantic, the Country is celebrating.
Vigils through the night brought out hundreds and thousands of people to await the Ceremonies starting at 05:30 on Tuesday morning - Argentine time.
Whilst the crowd was waiting, entertained by music, continuous coverage of the new Pope's former life played on several giant TV screens. Warmed by lots of Mate throughout the chilly Buenos Aires night the people watched and waited, and Pope Francisco placed a cell phone call to Buenos Aires Cathedral - at 03:30 Argentine time - to send the Portenos in the Plaza de Mayo his greetings. His surprising personal contact brought the assembled Porteneos to tears, when they heard his well known voice over the loudspeakers mounted in the Square. The Pope in his humourous way, ask them not to sacar el cuero (skin each other) but to be kind and look after each other, their poor, their old, their children.
For the rest of the world, it may be just another Pope, for Argentina it is the biggest event in decades
From The northern border of Jujuy down to the southernmost City of the world, Ushuaia, from Cordoba near the Andes and Buenos Aires near the Atlantic, the Country is celebrating.
Vigils through the night brought out hundreds and thousands of people to await the Ceremonies starting at 05:30 on Tuesday morning - Argentine time.
Whilst the crowd was waiting, entertained by music, continuous coverage of the new Pope's former life played on several giant TV screens. Warmed by lots of Mate throughout the chilly Buenos Aires night the people watched and waited, and Pope Francisco placed a cell phone call to Buenos Aires Cathedral - at 03:30 Argentine time - to send the Portenos in the Plaza de Mayo his greetings. His surprising personal contact brought the assembled Porteneos to tears, when they heard his well known voice over the loudspeakers mounted in the Square. The Pope in his humourous way, ask them not to sacar el cuero (skin each other) but to be kind and look after each other, their poor, their old, their children.
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| In the portal of the Metropolitan Cathedral - Habemus Papam... |
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| He did ride the subway (here the old A Line waggons), he walked the barrios, he personally helped hundreds of people making their way out of poverty, always accessible, always simple - anecdotes arising from the thousands of people who had personal contact with him, pay tribute to his humble, austere, unpretentious, caring and kind life. It did not matter - old or young, drug addict or prostitute, the people who knew him have nothing but deeply felt love and respect for this man. |
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| With a name taken from Saint Francis of Assisi - no wonder he likes animals.... |
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| A down to earth Argentinean, he knows his Mate... |
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| Argentinean Version of 'white smoke' |
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| The Pope is a registered member of the San Lorenzo Soccer Club. Miraculously his picture and name appeared on the front of the teams sweaters...Here just above the hand of the soccer player. In one of his public encounters on St. Peter's Square with a few Argentineans, he cheered: May San Lorenzo win... Of course, they did.... |
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| Still wearing his old shoes, which have taken him through the slums of Buenos Aires... |
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| The Government - after initial attempts to taint the new Pope with alleged connections to the military dictatorship, has wisely given up on that smear campaign. Kristina, La Presidenta, had a private luncheon with His Holiness and exchanged presents. During the meeting she got so flustered and forgot protocol as not to touch the Pope. She quickly removed her hands and put them behind her back, but Pope Francisco (her very much despised ex-Cardinal of Buenos Aires) kissed her on the cheek, Argentinian way... She blushingly confessed that this was the first time she was ever kissed by a Pope... |
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| Every Light Standard in Plaza de Mayo is dressed up in new flags - Argentina and Vatican! |
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| The City Hall - decorated with huge 'Banderas' of the Vatican and Argentina |
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| The Cathedral of Buenos Aires, dressed in flags...all the usual graffiti on the Cathedral's Portico has been painted over Giant TV screens have been mounted on either side of the cathedral, a vigil which started Monday night before the Ceremony and Mass of Tuesday morning saw 50.000 people camped around the square... |
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| Buenos Aires Icon, El Obelisco, dressed in yellow and white, the Vatican Colours |
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| Business for the Street vendors in front of the Cathedral is up by 20% according to the last reports. Flags, pins, photos, all appeared practically overnight on the vendor stands... |
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| Unique Argentine way of selling Papal pins: stuck to the surface of a #10 soccer shirt, the official shirt of Lionel Messi. Ten minutes later - the shirt was empty, sold out. |
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| For a humble and quiet man - this gathering of hundreds of thousands of faithful and others must have had a huge impact... |
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| Argentina is definitely represented on Saint Peter's Square...from regular Argentinean tourists to a plain 'cartonero', a garbage collector from Buenos Aires Streets, who travelled to Rome to see his personal friend, his Papa...they are here. |
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| El Papa surrounded by Argentinean Flags and thousands of captivated attendees....his 'people touch' must give the security guards nightmares... |
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| The Pope greeting La Kristina...she seemed almost overwhelmed, and tears flowed down her cheeks. So overcome, she missed her protocol cue and nearly walked away without greeting the cardinals in the official Line Up. The smear campaign about connections the the military dictatorship died a quick death. Now, just a few hours later, Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, has placards everywhere, showing just the hands of Pope Francisco and Presidenta Kristina....message of hope, compliments of the Government. |
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| San Lorenzo football team fans made it to San Peter's Square, a giant club banner adorned with Pope Francisco's already iconic photo fluttered above the heads of fans |
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| Still - after all - a simple priest, now with a tremendous responsibility.... |
