Pope Francis has vowed to embrace the world’s most vulnerable and called on economic and political leaders to shun "destruction".
The first Jesuit Pope has been speaking at his inaugural mass in Rome this morning.
World leaders and tens of thousands of pilgrims converged on St Peter’s Square to see the ceremony which formally installed the pontiff as the new leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
For the mass he wore plain white vestments, trimmed with gold and brown, and black shoes, in contrast to the red loafers that attracted attention under Pope Benedict.
Addressing the estimated 200,000 people Pope Francis underlined his message that the Church’s mission was to defend the poor and disadvantaged.
President Michael D Higgins was represented the State while Finance Minister Michael Noonan represented the government.
Before the mass Pope Francis received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers at the grand ceremony
He also toured St Peter’s Square this morning in an open-top jeep – making a a couple of unscheduled stops to bless pilgrims.
