Pope Francis: Cardinals Went to End of World to Find me

Pope Francis: Cardinals Went to
End of World to Find me


Pope
Francis greets the people for the first time. Credit: EWTN.

Vatican City,(EWTN News/CNA): Pope
Francis began his first words to the Church by saying that the cardinals “went
to the end of the world” to find the new Bishop of Rome.

“Brothers and
Sisters, good evening. You know that the charge of the conclave was to give a
bishop of Rome.

“It would seem that my brothers went to the end of the
world to choose him,” he said March 13 from the central balcony of St. Peter’s
Basilica.

The Pope then called on the crowd of tens of thousands to pray
for “our Bishop Emeritus Benedict.”

“This way of the Church that we
commence on,” he said, is one of “an evangelization in this beautiful city.”


Before he closed his remarks, Pope Francis asked the crowd for the favor
of praying for him in silence before he gave his blessing.

He then bowed
at the waist as silence settled over St. Peter’s Square.

The Pope blessed
the throng of people, saying, “I give my blessing to you and all people of good
will in the world.”

“I’m going to say goodbye now, thank you so much for
your welcome.

I say good night “because tomorrow I want to go and pray
to Mary for her protection.”

A marching band playing and the bells of St.
Peter’s ringing in the night followed Pope Francis’ first
words.