Roman Catholics call it “the Francis effect”, the way the new Pope is paring down the inherited pomp of his office to become more accessible. No more dainty red Prada shoes or fully tricked out Mercedes-Benz, like his predecessor, Benedict XVI. Francis I wears plain black shoes and is driven in an old Ford Focus. He refers to himself as “bishop” rather than “Pope” and has refused the papal apartments, deeming them too lavish. He has chosen to stay instead in the Vatican guest house, where he can have breakfast in the communal dining room with visiting priests.
新任教皇收敛起前任留下的排场，变得更加平易近人，罗马天主教徒称之为“方济各效应”。方济各(Francis I)不再像前任本笃十六世(Benedict XVI)那样脚穿精致的红色普拉达(Prada)鞋，乘坐奢华的梅赛德斯-奔驰(Mercedes-Benz)轿车，而是踏着朴素的黑鞋，搭乘一辆旧的福特福克斯(Ford Focus)。他自称为“主教”(bishop)而非“教皇”(Pope)，不愿搬进在他看来太过豪华的教皇寓所。相反，他选择住在梵蒂冈的招待所，在公共饭厅与来访的神父共进早餐。