NIGERIA: Nigeria Catholics welcome the election of Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio as the new pope, but some had hoped for an African pontiff

Record ID: 236001

  • Title: NIGERIA: Nigeria Catholics welcome the election of Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio as the new pope, but some had hoped for an African pontiff
  • Date: 14th March 2013
  • Summary: PEOPLE ATTENDING MASS IN CHURCH
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PRAYQ7DFXI17MKC70ZFPP7UK
  • Story Text: Catholics in Nigeria on Thursday (March 14) welcomed the election of an Argentine as the new pope, but it dashed the hopes of some who had wanted an African pontiff.
    Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the troubled Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday (March 13), taking the name Francis I.
    Linus Okeke, a Catholic in Nigeria's most populous city, Lagos, believed the pope's selection was divine.

    "Obviously, I'm proud to be a Catholic. I'm happy that we now have a pope, irrespective of the country, the most important thing is that God has given us a pope whom I believe is after his own heart," he said.
    The new pope is the first South American pontiff, the first non-European pope in 1,300 years and the first to take the name Pope Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the 12th century saint who spurned wealth to pursue a life of poverty.
    Another Catholic in Lagos, Julie Coker, said she would have preferred an African pope to encourage Nigerians to convert to Catholicism.

    "If we had got it, it would have been good, maybe good for conversion for people to turn to God, those who didn't believe in God for all the blood that has been shed in Nigeria, blood of the martyrs flowing all over place, people killed in church, they are martyrs as far as I'm concerned," she said.
    In Abuja, Hannatu Uche, Lady of Saint Mulumba, said she was delighted with the selection process.

    "We are all happy, right from last night that the announcement was made, we are very grateful to God that there was no crisis, no problem and the election was made. To God be the glory," she said.

    "It has always been an Italian, from Italy they went to Europe and I was hoping that this time it will go to Latin America because it is an older church. I am sure that after this, it will come to Africa," added Clement Uganden, knight of Saint Mulumba.
    Francis becomes the 266th pontiff in the Church's 2,000-year history at a time of great crisis, with the church under fire over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy.
    Although a conservative theologically, Francis is known for his concern for the poor and is expected to bring a radical change of style to the Church leadership, indicated by his choice for the first time of the name of St Francis of Assisi, who died in 1226 after living a life of poverty and simplicity.
    END
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