GERMANY: Ordinary Germans asked for a spontaneous reaction following the election of Pope Francis welcome the decision, expressing hope it will mark 'a new beginning'

Record ID: 603118

  • Title: GERMANY: Ordinary Germans asked for a spontaneous reaction following the election of Pope Francis welcome the decision, expressing hope it will mark 'a new beginning'
  • Date: 13th March 2013
  • Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (MARCH 13, 2013) (REUTERS) NIGHT SHOT OF COLOGNE CATHEDRAL VARIOUS OF MAN WATCHING LIVE COVERAGE OF POPE ELECTION ON MOBILE PHONE PEOPLE IN NEARBY SHOPPING STREET (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSER-BY, LUTZ DRESEL, SAYING: "I think think that's great. He doesn't always have to come from Europe. I think it's superb and it would have been equally great had it been
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Politics,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAE99W86ECP0DKTKOQOX8YLAK1B
  • Story Text: Germans outside Cologne Cathedral welcomed the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina as Pope Francis late on Wednesday (March 13), saying it was time for a Latin American to lead the Catholic Church.

    "I think think that's great. He doesn't always have to come from Europe. I think it's superb and it would have been equally great had it been a dark skinned Pope. It's a good thing and maybe the church now shifts a little bit," said Lutz Dresel.

    "Personally, I think it's really good that there is a new beginning. Let's see how it will affect us [shrugs shoulders]. We had lots of Europeans so far and America doesn't have to be bad. This can be a real chance for a renewal. I think it's good, I'm happy," said Denise Weber.
    Georg Buensch was touched by the new Pope's prayers for his predecessor Benedict, who had stepped down last month.

    "I was deeply moved that his first action was to pray for Pope Benedict, an amazing gesture. He is deep in my heart and I found this beautiful," Buensch said.
    Edimara Coledaroca, originally from Brazil, said she thought Latin America deserved to play a larger role.

    "I think this is great. I also come from Latin America, I'm from Brazil. I know that Latin America deserves to have a higher representative [gestures]. I think it's great."
    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. Although a conservative, he is seen as a reformer and was not among the small group of frontrunners identified before the election.
    Francis is the first non-European pope since Syrian born Gregory III in the eighth century, and the third successive non-Italian pontiff.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register