‘I was in St Peter’s Square on the day of his election. It was a long wait in cold and rainy weather. But then the white smoke finally appeared. The crowd was electrified. When the name Jorge Bergoglio was mentioned, there was great perplexity. Everyone was searching their mobile phones. Even the reporter standing next to me was completely confused.
Then, after another hour, he appeared on the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica and greeted the crowd with: Buona sera! Quite unspectacularly: ‘Good evening.’
He maintained this humanity throughout his time in office. ‘Pray for me and a good lunch’ were his last words at the Angelus on Sundays. For me, he is and was the world priest, the ‘good shepherd’ of his world parish.’
