Pope Francis Inaugural Mass

Pope Francis officially became the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church's 1.2 billion worldwide followers yesterday during his formal installation Mass in St. Peter's Square. Formally known as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 76-year-old Argentinean is the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years and the first from South America. During the Mass, which was attended by an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people, Francis pledged to serve ‘‘the poorest, the weakest, the least important,’’ striking the same tones of humility that have marked the days since his election. -- Lloyd Young ( 24 photos total)

Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives in the popemobile for his inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square on March 19 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Mass is being held in front of an expected crowd of up to 200,000 pilgrims and faithful who filled the square to see the former Cardinal of Buenos Aires officially take up his role as pontiff. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A man prays during the inauguration Mass for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square. ( Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

St. Peter's Square prior to the start of the installation Mass of Pope Francis at the Vatican. Pope Francis has urged princes, presidents, sheikhs and thousands of ordinary people gathered for his installation Mass to protect God's creation, the weakest and the poorest of the world. (Matteo Losito/Italian Police ) #

Pope Francis waves to faithful upon arrival in the popemobile on St. Peter's Square for his inauguration Mass on March 19. (AFP/Getty Images) #

A prelate stands in between rows of seats prior to the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (Andrew Medichini/Associated Press) #

Pope Francis, center, walks to the altar during his inauguration Mass on March 19 at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images) #

Crowds gather in St. Peter's Square during the inauguration of Pope Francis at the Vatican. Pope Francis urged princes, presidents, sheiks and thousands of ordinary people gathered for his installation Mass on Tuesday to protect the environment, the weakest and the poorest, mapping out a clear focus of his priorities as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. (Oded Balilty/Associated Press) #

Argentinians celebrate at a vigil for Pope Francis outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza de Mayo on March 18 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Francis was the archbishop of Buenos Aires and is the first Pope to hail from South America. Francis will be officially installed as Pope tomorrow at St. Peter's Square and the event will be broadcast live in Plaza de Mayo for Buenos Aires residents. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) #

Priests line up in St. Peter's Square for the installation Mass at the Vatican. Pope Francis has urged princes, presidents, sheikhs and thousands of ordinary people gathered for his installation Mass to protect God's creation, the weakest and the poorest of the world. (Andrew Medichini/Associated Press) #

A priest, center, delivers Communion to the faithful in St. Peter's Square during the inauguration Mass for Pope Francis at the Vatican. (Oded Balilty/Associated Press) #

Italian cardinal Angelo Sodano, right, puts the Fisherman's Ring, made of gold-plated silver, on a finger of Pope Francis during his inauguration Mass on March 19 at the Vatican. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images) #

Prelates stand past a statue of St. Peter during the inauguration Mass at the Vatican. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images) #

Priests stand during the Pope Francis inauguration Mass on March 19 at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images) #

An Argentinian flag flies in the crowd in St. Peter's Square before the inauguration Mass of Pope Francis on March 19. World leaders flew in for Pope Francis's inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday where Latin America's first pontiff received the formal symbols of papal power. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images) #

Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives in the popemobile for his Iinauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square on March 19. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) #

Argentinians gather in Plaza de Mayo while watching a live broadcast of the inauguration of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on March 19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Francis was the archbishop of Buenos Aires and is the first Pope to hail from Latin America. Celebrants watched in the early morning hours as the event was broadcast at 6:00 a.m. Buenos Aires time. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) #

Pope Francis greets the faithful during the inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square on March 19. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) #

Pope Francis greets members of the faithful as he makes his way around St. Peter's Square. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) #

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, left, approaches to shake hands with Pope Francis after his inauguration Mass at the Vatican on March 19. (AFP/Getty Images) #

People congregate in Plaza de Mayo for a vigil next to giant screens placed next to the Buenos Aires Cathedral, where people wait for the inauguration ceremony on live broadcast, in Buenos Aires on March 19. (Alejandro Pagni/AFP/Getty Images) #

A woman prays during a Mass held in honor of the new pope at the Cathedral in Quito, Ecuador, on March 19. The installation ceremony for Pope Francis, Argentina's former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was held Tuesday at the Vatican. (Dolores Ochoa/Associated Press) #

Pope Francis waves to crowds as he arrives to his inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (Gregorio Borgia/Associated Press) #

Well-wishers gather during the inauguration Mass for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) #

Pope Francis arrives in St. Peter's Square for his inaugural Mass at the Vatican on March 19. (Paul Hanna/Reuters) #

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