On Thursday, Pope Francis continued the theme with which he began his papacy, marking his one-year anniversary by tweeting, “Please pray for me.” One year ago, when Francis introduced himself from the balcony of St. Peter’s, he asked the crowd to bless him rather than confer a blessing on them. The request for blessings from the faithful has been a recurring theme for Francis; he usually concludes his public appearances with such a request.
Francis spent the anniversary day south of Rome with senior Vatican cardinals and monsignors. The Vatican stated that Francis wanted to keep the day simple with prayer and meditations.
In his hometown of Buenos Aires, the natives joyfully marked the date, primarily the poor who live in the city. A giant screen was erected in the Villa 1-11-14 slum so the residents could see an interview Francis conducted with FM Bajo Flores, a radio station that broadcasts from the slum.