Things are going to be different around here. The first general audience of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, held for the media in the Paul VI hall on Saturday morning, spelt it out loud and clear.
Pope Benedict paid a huge tribute to the world's media by opting to receive more than 1,500 reporters, photographers and media workers for an audience lasting 15 minutes. Yet, if anyone thought that this meant he was about to take over from where "God's showman", John Paul II, had left off, they were mistaken.
Stepping on stage punctually at 11am, the Pope was greeted by a resounding ovation and football fan-type chants of "Benedetto, Benedetto". That warm reception probably owed much to the fact that the audience had been infiltrated by at least a thousand "friends of friends of friends" who had little or nothing to do with the media.
Stepping centre-stage, Pope Benedict listened to the applause for a short time and then emphatically cut it short with a firm greeting: "In Nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti."
Where John Paul II would probably have milked the applause and warmed to the occasion, Benedict immediately lowered the tone.
Where John Paul II would probably have taken a popemobile ride through the crowd at the end of the audience, Benedict saluted us all with a firm "Arrivederci" and turned to walk out.
Like John Paul II, however, Benedict is comfortable in a number of different tongues, addressing the audience in Italian, English, French, German and, "given that we are in Rome", back in Italian again.
His message, too, was one of seemingly genuine gratitude for the extensive media coverage of the last month, saying: "Thanks to you all, these historically important ecclesiastical events have had worldwide coverage. In my own name, and especially on behalf of Catholics living far from Rome, who were able to participate in these stirring moments for our faith as they were taking place, I thank you for all you have done."
One or two mischievous Hispanic commentators underlined the absence of Spanish during the audience. Was this his way of getting back at the Iberian bloc, which had allegedly wanted a Latin American pontiff? One thinks not. In all probability, the new Pope's staff, still unaccustomed to the demands of papal office, simply made a minor diplomatic blunder.
For many Vatican commentators, too, Saturday's audience made a pleasant change. Rather than having to spend our time worrying about how the Pope looked, how much his hands shook and how his words sounded, we were simply able to sit back and listen to him.
It may be difficult to predict what we will be listening to in the years ahead but, for sure, the style and the tone are going to be very different.