VATICAN CITY: Argentinians in St Peter's Square are elated as Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is chosen to be the new Pope

Record ID: 447268

  • Title: VATICAN CITY: Argentinians in St Peter's Square are elated as Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is chosen to be the new Pope
  • Date: 13th March 2013
  • Summary: VATICAN (MARCH 13, 2013) (REUTERS) NEWLY ELECTED POPE FRANCIS APPEARING ON BALCONY VARIOUS OF CROWDS APPLAUDING AND CHEERING CEREMONIAL BANNER BEING UNFURLED FROM BALCONY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINIAN PILGRIM, FRANCISCO ORIOLI, SAYING: "I cannot explain it, this is tremendous. This is the first time I am in Rome and to have an Argentinan pope, it's tremendous." CROWDS IN SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINIAN PILGRIM, MANUEL ARRIETA SAYING: "We are very happy as Argentinians, I think he is a very well prepared person and we need to pray for the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ to give him the strength to lead the Catholic church." WIDE OF CROWDS IN SQUARE
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Vatican City State
  • Country: Vatican City State
  • Topics: Politics,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ZSW027PKB9AL5VIG5RN4XFBJ
  • Story Text: Argentinian pilgrims in the crowd on St Peter's Square greeted the newly-elected Pope Francis, Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, with elation on Wednesday (March 13)
    "I cannot explain it, this is tremendous. This is the first time I am in Rome and to have an Argentinan pope, it's tremendous," said Argentinian Francisco Orioli as Pope Francis appeared on a balcony overlooking the square.
    Pope Francis, 76, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica just over an hour after white smoke poured from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to signal that a new pope had been chosen.
    The excited crowd cheered even more loudly when 76-year-old Francis appeared, the first pontiff to take that name. "Viva il Papa (pope)" they chanted.

    "We are very happy as Argentinians, I think is a very well prepared person and we need to pray for the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ to give him the strength to lead the Catholic church," said Manuel Arrieta.
    Francis becomes the 266th pontiff in the Church's 2,000-year history at a time of great crisis and difficulty. Although a conservative he is seen as a reformer and was not among the small group of frontrunners identified before the election.
    He also went against one of the main assumptions before the election, that the new pope would be relatively young.
    He is the oldest of most of the possible candidates and was barely mentioned in feverish speculation about the top contenders before the conclave.
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