On March 13, 2013, Pope Francis surprised the Cardinals and Bishops present during his election with a series of unexpected decisions that reflected his lifelong simplicity. As described in a Facebook post by Fada Mentor, “He rejected 3 things on his body as a dress code.” First, Pope Francis refused the traditional customized red shoes meant for Popes, asking instead for the black shoes he had worn as Archbishop in Argentina. He also turned down the gold pectoral cross reserved exclusively for Popes, choosing to keep the old, simple silver cross he had always worn. Additionally, he declined the ermine-trimmed red velvet mozzetta, calling it “Royal.”
After greeting the crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica that night, he refused to use the limousine prepared for him and instead joined the other Cardinals on the common bus back to their quarters. The next morning, he also rejected the bulletproof Mercedes-Benz assigned for his use, opting instead for a modest economy car. His first stop was the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he prayed quietly. This church, according to Fada Mentor, is the same place where Pope Francis requested to be buried.
Pope Francis continued to shun luxury by refusing to live in the Apostolic Palace. Instead, he chose a modest three-room space at Casa Santa Marta, with a small living room, study, and bedroom, much like boarding school dormitories. This decision made him the first Pope to live outside the Apostolic Palace since the 17th century. He will also be the first Pope in over 120 years to be buried outside St. Peter’s Basilica.
Fada Mentor pointed out that this simplicity did not begin with his papacy. In Argentina, he was known as the Archbishop who “NEVER dressed as an Archbishop.” When he became a Cardinal under Pope St. John Paul II, he did not order new robes but resized the old ones of his predecessors. As Fada Mentor humorously noted, “he rather took the old ones from his predecessor(s), took them to the tailor to arrange them to fit him.”
Throughout his life, Pope Francis consistently rejected symbols of wealth and privilege. After becoming Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, he sold his predecessor’s large car and even found a new job for the former chauffeur. As Pope, he has repeatedly criticized clergy who drive luxury vehicles, calling it “a scandal” and a disrespect to the poor.
Summing up the spirit of his post, Fada Mentor simply said, “A man like Papa Francisco 🤍.”
