Pope Francis Statue Must Go, Says Pontiff, Who Demands Removal Of Buenos Aires Cathedral Monument

The pope has ordered the removal of a statue of himself that was erected outside of the cathedral of his hometown in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to Clarin.com the pope was horrified by the statue:

They say that, without delay, he grabbed the phone, called Buenos Aires’ Curia and emphatically asked it to be removed immediately. “Get that right away,” he told the priest who answered the phone.

The statue, which lasted under two weeks in the cathedral garden, was created by Fernando Pugliese, who has also made statues with the image of Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa.

Francis apparently objected to the statue on account of his abhorrence of the cult of personality, a risk that appears to be very real, given the beloved religious leader was recently named "Man of the Year" by Vanity Fair Italia.

The pope has repeatedly warned clergy against the temptation of worldly glory and avoiding the psychology of "princes."

His humility seems to only be backfiring on Francis, as in his first three months he has become a popular religious figure and the organizers of the upcoming World Youth Day 2013, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are expecting a large jump in attendance.