The name Francis, chosen by Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio who was elected pope on Wednesday, means both spiritual renewal and his missionary direction.
"Of course, it was a huge surprise and there are a lot of new things as a Jesuit was elected pope for the first time, it's the first Francis, as there have been no popes with that name before, so he will be Francis I, and he's the first pope from Latin America, although he is of Italian descent, he was born in an Italian family in Argentina," Vaišvilaitė told BNS by phone from Rome.
"The name Francis means two things. First of all, spiritual renewal. The Church, as a spiritual fortress, is everything Francis of Assisi embodies in the Church history and also, I think, as a Jesuit, he also appeals to St Francis Xavier who was a missionary who evangelized Asia first. It's not necessarily directed to Asia but it's related to missions," Vaišvilaitė said.
The diplomat said she personally saw the crowd of people in St Peter's Square.
In her words, preparations are being made for the Lithuanian president's visit to the inaugural ceremony in the Vatican.
"The president herself said during St. Casimir's Fair that she would give a palm she bought then as a present to the new pope," the ambassador said.
Cardinal Bergoglio, 76, became the first head of the Catholic Church from the Western hemisphere. He chose the name Francis.
President's visit
The Lithuanian president, together with other heads of state, will attend the papal inauguration ceremony in the Vatican and will present a Lithuanian Palm Sunday flower - verba - to His Holiness, the Press Service of the President said in a statement on Thursday.
"It is a very special message not only to the Roman Catholic Church, but also to all faithful and secular people around the world. I am certain that Your Holiness will continue the mission of your predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, in uniting the Christians and also as spiritual leader and model example for the world," the president writes in her letter of congratulations.
The president wished the new pontiff every success and resilience on his pastoral path.
Grybauskaitė also congratulated the faithful of Lithuania and the world on the election of their new spiritual leader, and wished renewal to the world and the Church.
