Due to his very busy schedule attending to pastoral work, Pope Francis did not show at a gala classical concert on Saturday featuring the compositions of renowned German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

In an event where he was supposed to be the guest of honour, the vacant chair is another indicator that the low-profile pontiff who prefers to take the bus and a modest living quarters over gold seats and red Prada shoes, is shunning the high-life in Vatican.

Other cardinals, however, showed up at the concert and apologised for the pope's absence because the pontiff has an urgent commitment that cannot be cancelled. However, the cardinals assured the concert goers that the pope's absence is not because of health issues.

"It took us by surprise. We are still in a period of growing pains. He is still learning how to be pope and we are still learning how he wants to do it," Huffington Post quoted a Vatican source.

"In Argentina, they probably knew not to arrange social events like concerts for him because he probably won't go," added the source.

Prior to his March election as pontiff, the Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires where he is known for a modest lifestyle such as taking the public transportation, living in a modest apartment and cooking his own meal.

While the concert, held in a nearby auditorium was ongoing, Pope Francis was just metres away, believed to the going over the appointments for the Curia, the central administration in Vatican that has been plagued with bureaucracy and corruption.

In contrast, his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, even attended a Beethoven concert days before he stepped down as leader of the 1.2-billion strong Roman Catholic Church, as seen in the following video.