He will lead cardinals² in his first Mass, begin appointing senior Vatican staff and may visit his predecessor³, Benedict, Pope Emeritus⁴.

 

The first Latin American and Jesuit pope has received a flood of goodwill⁵ messages from around the world.

 

But the Argentine also faces a series of tough challenges.

 

The Church has been dogged by infighting（暗斗，混战） and scandals over clerical（牧师的） sex abuse and alleged⁶ corruption⁷.

 

 

The election of Cardinal¹ Jorge Mario Bergoglio shocked many onlookers⁸ when it was revealed on Wednesday.

 

Although he reportedly came second to Pope Benedict XVI during the 2005 conclave⁹, few had predicted the election of the first pope from outside Europe in 1,300 years.

 

Pope Francis will return to the Sistine Chapel¹⁰ on Thursday afternoon, scene of his election, to celebrate Mass with the cardinals. 

 

Over the weekend, he will meet the world's media at a special papal audience, an opportunity perhaps to set out some of his global vision, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent, James Robbins, in Rome.

 

Pope Francis had been greeted by crowds roaring their approval when he appeared at the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square on Wednesday evening, about an hour after white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to announce to the world that a new pontiff had been elected.

 

"It seems that my brother cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth [to find a pope]," Francis said wryly¹¹, referring to his native Argentina.

 

"Now, we take up this journey... A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us," he said.

 

He endeared himself to the crowds - and underlined his reputation for humility¹² - when he asked them to bless him before blessing¹³ them in return.

 

Later, according to the New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Pope Francis shunned¹⁴ a special car and security detail provided to take him to the Vatican - "I'll just go with the guys [cardinals] on the bus," Cardinal Dolan quoted him as saying.

 

At the dinner itself, Cardinal Dolan said the Pope had made the cardinals laugh when he referred to the seven days of meetings that led to his election, saying: "I am going to sleep well tonight and something tells me you are too."

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