Tourism flourishes during papal election

Thousands of tourists flocked to Vatican City during the days leading up to and following the election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, now Pope Francis, as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Check out these awesome images from the historic papal election.

Pictured: Tourists view newly printed pictures of the newly elected Pope Francis at a souvenir store near the Vatican in Rome on March 15.

Tourists fill up St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City the day following the election of Pope Francis on March 14.

Young tourists show off their dance moves in St. Peter’s Square on March 14.

Statuette crib-maker Jenny Di Virgilio poses with his statuette of the new Pope Francis in a Christmas crib shop in Naples, Italy, on March 14.

A tourist dons the national flag of Argentina, Pope Francis’s home country, while walking in St. Peter’s Square on March 14.

Tourists check out the ceiling frescoes inside the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome, dedicated to Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, on March 14.

Tourists look over St. Peter’s Square from the dome at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 11.

Newly created keychains featuring the image of Pope Francis are displayed in a tourist shop near the Vatican on March 15.

A group of tourists in St. Peter’s Square posde for a picture while holding newspapers featuring a photo of Pope Francis on March 14.

Tourists watch a giant screen showing cardinals arriving for a Mass ahead of the conclave for the papal election on March 12 in St. Peter’s Square.

A package of rosary beads featuring the image of Pope Francis is displayed in a tourist shop near the Vatican in Rome on March 15.

Tourists take in the sights of St. Peter’s Square the day following the election of Pope Francis on March 14.

Tourists walk around a Vatican City wall on March 11.

A tourist takes a souvenir photo with Italian Carabinieri, paramilitary police officers, in St. Peter’s Square on March 11.

Tourists gathered to take pictures in St. Peter’s Square on March 11.

A woman held an umbrella over a praying pilgrim in St. Peter’s Square during a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on March 12.

Tourists walk through St. Peter’s Square the day after the election of Pope Francis on March 14.

Tourists held umbrellas on a rainy day prior to the papal election on March 11 in St. Peter’s Square.

Tourists lined up in St. Peter’s Square on March 11.

Just outside the Vatican City, tourists walked around a wall surrounding the holy city on March 11.

A Kenyan tourist giggles while trying to stay out of the pouring rain on March 10 in Vatican City.

A tourist took a picture of the dome ceiling in Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 11.

A group of tourists gather inside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 10 in anticipation of the cardinals conclave.

A tourist looks over an election poster at a souvenir shop showing the photographs of cardinals who are participating in the papal conclave on March 10 in Rome.

Canadian Cardinals Marc Ouellet, left, and Thomas Christopher Collins were followed by some snooping tourists as they walked through St. Peter’s Square on March 9.

Tourists waited in line while Vatican firefighters set up the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel prior to the cardinals conclave on March 9.

Tourist snapped pictures of the Vatican in St. Peter’s Square on March 10.

Tourists pet a horse in front of the Pantheon on March 10 in Rome.

An image of Pope Benedict XVI appeared on a tourist bus in Rome on March 11.