GALWAY SENATOR SAYS NEW POPE IMPRESSES WITH SIMPLISTIC STYLE

Date Published: 19-Mar-2013

The new Pope has received a warm reception at The Vatican in Rome today according to Galway Senator, Ronan Mullen.

The Independent NUI Senator made the journey to St. Peter's Square of his own accord, for Pope Francis' inaugural mass.

The new Pontiff has vowed to embrace the world's most vulnerable and called on economic and political leaders to shun "destruction".

For the mass he wore plain white vestments, trimmed with gold and brown, and black shoes, in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Pope Benedict.

Earlier, Pope Francis received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers.

The pallium is a strip of lambswool that represents the pope's role as a shepherd and the Fisherman's Ring is named in honour of the first pope St Peter, a fisherman by trade.