World Youth Day 2013: Head of State Pope Francis Carries Own Luggage Bag, Falls in Line, Waits For Turn to Board Aircraft (PHOTOS)
Consistently shunning preferential treatment and special attention, Pope Francis has done what most heads of state would not. For his first overseas international trip since becoming the 266th pontiff, Pope Francis opted to carry his own luggage bag, fall in line and then wait for his turn to board commercial aircraft Alitalia for his week-long visit to Brazil in celebration of the World Youth Day 2013 festivities in his home continent.
Pope Francis, who has already arrived in Brazil, left Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport on Monday with an imprint consistent of how he manages the daily affairs of his post.
Walking towards a specially-arranged Alitalia flight that will carry him, his entourage as well as some journalists who will cover his every move while in Brazil, no-frills and no-nonsense Pope Francis conveyed the attitude of a regular flight traveler. He carried his own black luggage!
As he carried it with his left hand, his right hand kept busy shaking the hands of the dignitaries, among them Italian Premier Enrico Letta, who came up to send him off and convey their well-wishes.
And as the entourage got stuck at the end of the tarmac, the first Latin American pontiff just casually waited for his turn to board Alitalia, still carrying his own bag.
The bag, according to the hoard of photographers present during the send-off, was "a slightly worn-looking black leather bag."
Even the Catholic News Agency perhaps shocked over the latest gesture of the pontiff, said that "no Pope in recent memory has carried his own bag."
Pope Francis is not only the overall spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, he is also the head of state of Vatican City, a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the city of Rome.
