The Monocle Minute

In the long history of the role that he inhabited, Pope Francis was among the very few pontiffs who got to have a handover conversation with their predecessor. He ascended to the throne of St Peter in 2013, following the resignation of Benedict XVI. He was the first Jesuit pope and the first from the southern hemisphere.

He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires. The son of Italian immigrants, he was ordained a priest in December 1969 and his ascent up the Jesuit hierarchy occurred against a grim backdrop. In 1973 he was appointed provincial of the Jesuits, the effective leader of the order in Argentina. Then, in 1976, Argentina’s military seized power. Several of Bergoglio’s fellow Jesuits were among the thousands who were tortured, murdered or, as the gruesome euphemism had it, “disappeared” during the dictatorship.

In 1998, Bergoglio was appointed archbishop of Buenos Aires. It was in this role that he established himself as an ascetic maverick. He rejected the official residence for a downtown apartment and ditched his chauffeur for the bus. Even as pope, Francis cut a less ostentatious dash than his predecessors: he abjured ceremonial dress and preferred the Vatican’s guesthouse to the papal residence in the Apostolic Palace.

Francis will be recalled as a moderniser and reformer. But these things are relative. The Catholic Church remains, officially, as rigid on such subjects as homosexuality, abortion and the ordination of women as it was when Bergoglio took his priestly vows.

His most important legacy might be the one that he leaves as a vigorous and enterprising diplomat. He was credited by Cuba for finessing its restoration of relations with the US; in 2021 he undertook the first papal visit to Iraq, which included a meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy Shi’a city of Najaf.

This might – or should – be a consideration of the conclave that selects his successor. Though it is reasonable to wonder why an unelected emissary of the divine should wield any influence at all, the pope is one of the few office-holders who can assume that the world is listening when they speak. If the Church wishes, as all faiths do, to maintain its influence, a modern pope needs to be as much ambassador as pastor.

Mueller is a contributing editor at Monocle and presenter of ‘The Foreign Desk’. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.

The many elevated expressways that snake through Tokyo are a defining feature of the city but times – and technology – have changed (writes Fiona Wilson). The raised KK Line expressway, a 2km-long, toll-free stretch that runs through the central Ginza district, has been a key piece of the capital’s complex infrastructure puzzle since it opened in 1966. Yet its history came to an end earlier this month when the road was closed to traffic. The plan is to turn it into a pedestrianised green artery – Tokyo’s version of New York’s High Line.

The Tokyo Sky Corridor is a long-term project that will open in phases and is expected to take a decade to complete. Tokyo’s governor, Yuriko Koike, was on hand to launch proceedings and the momentous shift from cars to pedestrians was marked with a schedule of public “Roof Park” events, including guided walking tours and live music. Tokyo is a restless city, always under construction. This plan is part of a bigger picture that includes moving a chunk of elevated expressway underground at Nihonbashi to connect with a new subterranean Shin-Kyobashi link road.

Global shipping accounts for almost 3 per cent of all human-made carbon emissions, slightly surpassing aviation (writes Petri Burtsoff). The International Maritime Organisation has an ambitious goal to cut emissions by 70 per cent by 2040 but to get there the industry urgently needs to clean up its act. Luckily, Finnish marine-technology firm Wärtsilä is developing the world’s first full-scale, onboard carbon-capture solution. Pilot testing of this technology has commenced on the 160-metre-long ethylene carrier Clipper Eris, owned by Norwegian company Solvang. Its real-world test voyage from Singapore to Houston will provide crucial data on the effectiveness of point-of-exhaust capture and storage (CCS) for large tankers.

According to Wärtsilä, CCS technology has the potential to capture up to 70 per cent of a vessel’s carbon dioxide emissions, liquefy them and safely store them onboard until they can be unloaded and used by land-based industries. “We believe that this is a major leap forward for maritime sustainability,” says Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä. “Carbon capture and storage of the kind that we are now testing with Solvang represents a sea change for the global shipping industry.”

Is it time to slow down and think local in the fashion capital that has always moved furthest and fastest? That’s what a new wave of designers and retailers in New York is hoping to achieve. Among them is Maria McManus, whose eponymous label is best known for fully fledged ready-to-wear collections, ranging from breezy organic-cotton shirts and suits made from Portuguese linen to wool blazers featuring biodegradable corozo-nut buttons.

McManus has carved a niche for herself by developing a network of specialist boutiques around the world that now carry her collections. Despite this, she stays focused on keeping production runs small and operating as locally as possible. “The 21st century needs to be about collaborating with nature rather than using and abusing it,” says McManus. “We’re at a point when we want to be more thoughtful about every aspect of our lifestyles: what we wear, what we read and what we put in our homes.”

To read the full feature about New York’s new designers, pick up a copy of Monocle’s April issue.

Our editors, speakers and delegates are landing in Jakarta this week for The Chiefs, Monocle’s annual leadership conference. Here’s a rundown of where to visit while in town.

Eat: Kaum
The dishes at Kaum (pictured above) are inspired by the culinary heritage of Indonesia and include flame-kissed lamb drizzled in pickled greens, slow-cooked beef served in deep-red lado sauce and wok-charred rice laced with crisp stink beans. The restaurant’s relaxed interiors were created by Jakarta-based hospitality group Potato Head group.
kaum.com

Drink: Modernhaus
Perched above French bistro Bouchon, Modernhaus feels more like an architect’s private lounge than a cocktail bar. The atmospheric, mid-century-inspired venue by Union Group serves botanical cocktails by mixologist Mirwansyah “Bule”. The celery-infused vodka and jasmine gin are crowd-pleasers.
uniongroupjakarta.com

Shop: Archie
This menswear shop showcases tailoring and ready-to-wear pieces from familiar names, including Drake’s, Flannel Bay and Sartoria Melina. Its founder, Michael Wong, also hosts trunk shows with brands such as Japan’s Lecteur and Florence’s Leonardo Simoncini. Clothing from Archie’s collaboration with Alden will keep you cool during Jakarta’s hot summer days.
archiestore.com

Shop: SukkhaCitta
SukkhaCitta works with female artisans in rural Indonesia to ensure fair wages and the preservation of traditional batik and ikat techniques. Every piece is naturally dyed and made from regenerative cotton, balancing contemporary silhouettes with centuries-old know-how. SukkhaCitta shows that ethical fashion can be just as refined as it is sustainable.
sukkhacitta.com

Visit: Roh Projects
Established in 2014, Roh Projects secured a permanent home in 2022 when it moved into a mid-century colonial house on Jalan Surabaya in Menteng. The gallery represents many notable names on Indonesia’s contemporary art scene, including Maruto Ardi, Kei Imazu, Bagus Pandega and artists’ collective Tromarama.
rohprojects.net

Just months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria is rebuilding – both its institutions and its battered cities. For Monocle's April issue, our Istanbul correspondent Hannah Lucinda Smith joins a flight from Istanbul packed with returnees and Turkish investors to discover how the nation’s future is shaping up. Photography by Emin Özmen. Find out more about Syria's rebuilding in the new issue of Monocle out now.