Argentine Bergoglio emerges new pope

 

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio  greeted crowds in Rome’s St Peter’s Square  on Wednesday evening after his election as the Catholic Church’s new Pope.

Appearing on a balcony in a white cassock over the square, he asked the Catholic  faithful to pray for  him. Cheers erupted as he gave a blessing.

Bergoglio is the  first Latin American and the first Jesuit to be Pontiff.  He will be called Pople  Francis I.

An hour earlier, white smoke from the Sistine’s Chapel chimney announced the new Pope’s election.

Pope Francis, 76, replaces Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned last month at the age of 85, saying he was not strong enough to continue as  head of  the church.

French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran announced his election with the Latin words “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam” (“I announce to you a great joy. We have a Pope”).

The election was met with thunderous applause at the cathedral in Buenos Aires,  the new Pope’s home city.

The British Broacasting Corporation  reported that Francis  was a surprise choice  as he was not among a small group of front-runners before the election.

Many observers were also expecting a younger pope to be elected.

The 115 cardinals had been in isolation since Tuesday afternoon, and held four inconclusive votes.

At least 77 of them, or two-thirds, would have had to vote for a single candidate for him to be elected Pope.

Before the conclave began, there was no clear front-runner to replace Benedict.

Crowds with umbrellas massed in the square flying flags from around the world.

The Catholic News Agency said people were running through the streets of Rome, hoping to reach St Peter’s Square in time for the appearance of the new pope.

Meanwhile, the   Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mallam Aminu Tambuwal, has said the emergence of Bergoglio as the new Pope calls for deep reflections by humanity.

The speaker’s reaction was contained in a congratulatory message he sent to Catholics in Nigeria and the world at large after Bergoglio was announced as the new Pope.

The message  by his Special Adviser on  Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Imam Imam, quoted Tambuwal as saying that “the emergence of a new Pope should be a moment of deep reflection for all of humanity.”

Also, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State  described  the election of the Argentine  as the continuation of the fulfilment of Christ to his Church that the gate of hell shall not prevail against it.

 Obi said that one vital lesson that Nigerians should draw from  the election  was  that the process of being elected into any position  was  far more fundamental than  what the person elected does thereafter.

 The governor added  that with the emergence of the new pope,  what was required now was for everybody to join the Church in prayers for the great task ahead of the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the Apostles.

 Describing the new Pope  as a deeply intellectual and religious leader, he said he did very well as Bishop of Buenos Aires and will most certainly do well as the Pope.