Pope Francis I greeting the faithful from a balcony at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican: photo - PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Speaking with Polish Radio on Thursday, the minister said that “we are keeping our fingers crossed for the Holy Father,” after Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected to the throne of St. Peter on Wednesday night.
“This will certainly be a pope of dialogue and great humility,” Zdrojewski said of the first non-European pontiff in over a thousand years.
In Argentina, the former cardinal was known for taking the bus to engagements, cooking for himself, and making regular visits to the slums of Buenos Aires, where he attempted to reach out to the poor.
Last year he accused fellow churchmen of hypocrisy, reasoning that they had forgotten that Christ bathed lepers and consorted with prostitutes.
His choice of the name Francis I was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who was known for his humility and devotion to serving the poor.
Zdjrojewski reflected that following St Francis' example of humility was an “important” choice, “but not an easy one.
“The Vatican is not a humble place, but in my opinion, reducing a certain level of splendour there will be the pope's aim,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with public television station TVP, Primate of Poland Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk said that “the model for the new pope will undoubtedly be [Polish pontiff] John Paul II.”
The Polish pontiff had himself gained a reputation as a man of dialogue, travelling widely and reaching out to leaders of other faiths, including Judaism, Islam and Buddhism.
He was also known for his indifference to material things, often appearing in torn, ruffled garments as a young priest.
“Please remember that it was John Paul II who appointed him as an auxiliary bishop, and to the College of Cardinals, and earlier as Archbishop of Buenos Aires,” Kowalczyk noted.
“We wish him all the very best,” the archbishop concluded. (nh)