He auctioned his Harley Davidson and gave the money to a soup kitchen, poses for selfies, gives kids rides in his Popemobile and leaves jokey messages on nuns' voicemail
Last year Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world by announcing his resignation.
It was the first time in 600 years that a pontiff had quit the job and the 85 year old German left the Catholic Church in such turmoil many feared it would take decades to recover.
Paedophile priests, corrupt cardinals and banking scandals left a disillusioned global flock praying for an inspirational new shepherd.
But, twelve months on, those prayers appear to have been answered in the shape of Jorge Mario Bergoglio - or Pope Francis.
On March 13, 2013, the Argentinian Cardinal and Archbishop of Buenos Aires was elected 266th Supreme Pontiff - chosing the name of St Francis of Assisi – a simple friar.
It was a sign of things to come.
For, within weeks the humility, humour and heart of this 77 year old Jesuit were winning him admirers around the world and sending church attendances soaring.
Now, as he marks his first anniversay, Francis is already being called the most popular Bishop of Rome ever - Top of the Popes.
But it's the little things that have made such a huge impact.
The football-loving former janitor and nightclub bouncer opted to live in a simple two-room guest house rather than the ten-room Vatican Palace and swapped the white papal Mercedes for a blue Ford Focus.
He auctioned off his Harley Davidson motorbike and gave the money to a Rome soup kitchen, poses for selfies with young admirers, gives kids rides in his Popemobile, and leaves jokey surprise messages on nuns' voicemail.
This "gentle revolution" even made him cover boy for last month's Rolling Stone magazine and Time magazine voted Pope Francis - who still likes to be called Father Jorge - their Person of the Year.
"What makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all," said the Time editorial.
"In a matter of months he has elevated the healing mission of the church - the church as servant and comforter of hurting people in an often harsh world - above the doctrinal police work so important to his recent predecessors."
In other words, Benedict was the paperwork Pope but Francis is the People's Pope.
John Sullivan, Professor of Christian education at Liverpool Hope University, said: “Pope Francis has changed the climate of communication.
“He has made many gestures and said many wonderful things that indicate his desire for a different style of church – not changing its substance but changing its voice and its quality of listening.
“It's a very hopeful time.”
And while the Church's formidable governing body, the Curia, are clearly basking in His Holiness's reflected glory, many of the old guard are scratching their skull caps wondering how in heaven's name, he's done it?
For the Cardinals who elected Bergoglio in the fifth round of the papal conclave in March, saw him as a very conventional choice.
He is actually a theological conservative who vigorously supports the Vatican's position on abortion, gay marriage, the ordination of women and other major issues.
But what those cloistered clerics have never been able to understand is the transformative power of the common touch.
On his first appearance on the balcony of St Peter's after his election Pope Francis refused to wear the traditional papal slippers, red ermine-trimmed cape or bejewelled gold crucifix - preferring his plain white cassock and wooden cross.
It was an immediate contrast to Benedict, famous for his handmade, red calf skin shoes and Cartier watches.
After his election Pope Francis called his cobbler in Argentina to ask about a shoe repair – explaining he wouldn't be dumping his old black footwear.
It was the first of many papal "cold calls" that have stunned recipients - like his old newsagent in Buenos Aires who he apologetically asked to cancel his papers.
The Pope also called to chat with an Italian engineer who'd written to him worrying about finding work, an Argentinian woman who'd been raped and the brother of a murder victim.
In September he telephoned a 35 year old pregnant divorcee who felt pressurised to have an abortion "Hello Anna, this is Pope Francis," he said simply, before comforting her and offering to baptise her baby.
Then on New Year's Eve he phoned to surprise and order of Carmelite sisters in Lucena, Spain......but got their answerphone.
"What can the nuns be doing that stops them answering the phone?" he chuckled. "'This is Pope Francis, I wanted to give you New Year's greetings. I'll see if I can reach you later. God bless you."
On the day after his election the Pope turned down the use of the Papal Merc to travel to the Vatican in a minibus with the other cardinals who'd been taking part in the conclave - and he still prefers travelling inconspicuously.
On his first overseas visit in July he waited in line with other passengers to board and insisted on carrying his own luggage.
Next month he will welcome President Obama and the Queen and Prince Philip on official visits to Rome - but plans to give them tea in his rooms at the Domus Sanctae Marthae guest house, rather than the Vatican Palace.
He's probably jotted down their names by hand in the old fashioned diary he keeps himself - another first which has shocked aides.
Vatican Press Officer Father Federico Lombardi said recently: "Before, I was in contact with the Curia and could ask them what his daily agenda is.
"Now we have to discover what the agenda is. He is very free in organizing it."
The Pope wrote to a friend in Argentina soon after taking office.
"I'm visible to people and I lead a normal life," he explained. "I eat in the refectory with everyone else.
"All this is good for me and prevents me from being isolated. I'm trying to stay the same and to act as I did in Buenos Aires because if you change at my age you just look ridiculous."
But the things he can't change, he embraces, like the large public masses that give him a chance to drive round St Peter's Square in his Popemobile - with bulletproof glass removed - so he can reach out to the faithful.
He gave a teenage boy with Downs Syndrome the ride of his life by inviting him up into the vehicle and spinning him round on the seat.
On another occasion he spotted an old pal from Argentinia in the crowd, and signalled him to jump aboard too.
He wept with joy when Brazillian schoolboy Nathan de Brito, broke through barriers and jumped up on the Popemobile to tell him he wanted to be a priest and could barely contain his excitement at being handed a San Lorenza football shirt.....his favourite Buenos Aires team.
In October another lad ran up on stage as the Pope addressed a crowd of families - he patted his head and carried on talking then let the boy go and sit on the papal throne. Photos were later posted on the Pope's official Twitter account.
Then, in November, the Pope was pictured hugging Vinicio Riva, a 52 year old Italian horribly disfigured by huge tumours.
Afterwards Vinicio revealed: "The thing that struck me most is he did not even think about whether or not to hug me. I'm not contagious, but he did not know. He just did it: he caressed me all over my face, and as he did I felt only love."
Two weeks later the Pope stopped to talk with Oreste Tornani, 60, who was shot in the face at the age of 30.
"He asked me how I was, how things were going, if I had any problems and where I was living," said unemployed Mr Tornani. "Then he embraced me and gave me a blessing."
The Pope never ceases to surprise the watching world - whether he's larking about in a fireman's helmet so the fire crew can get souvenir photos,popping in to homeless hostels for breakfast or telling mums waiting for their babies to be baptised it is fine to breastfeed in the Sistine Chapel.
But in showing that he is one of us he is trying to lead by example rather than doctrinal directive - and that example is one of compassion and humility.
He is still firmly opposed to gay marriage, for example, and defends the Church's position that homosexual acts are sinful but homosexual orientation is not.
But when asked recently about gay priests within the Vatican he gave one of his most powerful public statements yet.
"Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord?" he said.
"You can't marginalize these people."
It was the first time a Pope had even used the word "gay" in public.
Former Catholic Herald editor Peter Stanford said: "In Francis the Catholic church has finally found someone who can communicate directly in word and deed with people, be they religious or not."
His communication skills have been matched by meaningful reform too.
Francis has closed more than 600 suspect accounts at the scandal-hit Vatican Bank and set up a commission to deal with paedophile priests.
Last month he met with the international Council of Cardinals he set up to advise him on reforming the Vatican bureaucracy and is also planning an Autumn conference to consider divorce, remarriage and contraception.
The council leader, Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, claims it is “the dawn of a new era in the church”.
Pope Francis certainly looks and sounds like a candidate for Superpope......just without the cape.
On the day of his election he refused to wear the "cappa rubea" because it has been a symbol of imperial authority for ten centuries.
But an aide still tried to drape it round his shoulders as he walked onto the chilly balcony."
"No thank you, Monsignor," said Pope Francis.
"You put it on, instead. Carnival time is over!"
SOURCE:www. .mirror.co.uk
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