The humorous side of Pope Francis is showing up just days after his election as leader of the 1.2-billion strong Roman Catholic Church. As the world once more focuses its eyes at the Vatican for the inaugural mass of the pontiff on Tuesday, March 19, there was a remarkable increase in papal cartoons over the past few days in social networking sites.

Of course, the biggest and hottest topic is the colour red, a favourite papal hue whether it's in his choice of footwear, headgear or moving around.

Days before the 115 cardinal electors picked Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the successor of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a news wire agency confirmed the new pontiff will wear a pair of Gamarelli red shoes, definitely ruling out the high-end label Prada.

After the recovering from the shock of the 115 cardinal electors picking Argentinean Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio over Italian Archbishop Angelo Scola, cartoonists went back to the secretive conclave, conjuring wild guesses on the selection process.

to how the prelates created the white smoke that emanated from the Sistine Chapel to announce the election of a new pope who succeeded Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

and suggestions to go high-tech for the next conclave.

With a new pope comes a new driver for the famous pope mobile

which brings to question the future of the popemobile since Pope Francis may opt to take public transport or hitch his way around instead.

Actually, the popemobile is just three months old, roomier, more high-tech and eco-friendly, according to manufacturer Mercedes Benz, a luxury vehicle brand which Pope Francis may eschew.

Being an unorthodox pontiff is making the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires a media superstar that there are now fake Twitter accounts of the new pope that a doorman at the Jesuit motherhouse in Rome thought a caller who introduced himself as Papa Francesco was playing a prank on him.

"Ever since the Pope's election, our phone has been ringing every two minutes and a lot of people are calling, including a few lunatics," EWTN quoted Fr Claudio Barriga, a Jesuit, to explain the hesitancy of the doorman in believing that the caller was the real newly elected pontiff.

Before speaking to Fr Adolfo Nicolas, the Jesuit Father General, Pope Francis first spoke to the Fr Nicolas's secretary, Brother Alfonso, who congratulated the pope on his election and said the whole Jesuit community is praying a lot for their fellow Jesuit.

"Praying that I keep going or that I turn back?" the Pope joked back to the secretary.

Another display of the papal humour was his Sunday talk to pilgrims in St Peter's Square when he cited a book by German Cardinal Walter Kasper. He followed the citation with the quip, "Don't think I'm plugging my cardinals' books, eh? It's not like that!"

It is not only the current pope who has humour. The Australian cited the story of Pope Pius IX, who in his deathbed in 1878, asked the cardinal vicar of Rome who ordered a 24-hour bell ringing and prayers for the pontiff's speedy recovery, "Why do you want to stop me from going to heaven?"

With so much expectations on Pope Francis, from addressing the sex scandal involving priests, to revamping the Curia and facing issues such as contraception and gay marriages, he certainly needs to remind himself that even for a holy man like him, laughter could still be the best medicine.

Read more:

New Pope 2013: 10 New Memes for Pope Francis

New Pope 2013: Initial Conclave Voting Was a Match Between Archbishop Scola, Cardinal Scherer

New Pope 2013: Who Would Be the Perfect Actor to Portray Pope Francis?

New Pope 2013: Is Alejandro Rodriguez de Cabo the New Nostradamus as He Correctly Predicted Pope Francis's Election?

New Pope 2013: Will Pope Francis Wear Red Shoes on March 19 Inaugural Mass?

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