“I was certainly surprised — he was not on my list,” said Matthew Laferty, 39, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome. Originally from Crestline, Ohio, he is in charge of his protestant organization’s relationship with the Catholic Church. “I think the choice shows there was probably some compromise among the cardinals.”
The Americans’ joy seemed to be felt by most people inside the square regardless of nationality. Whether that was the people holding up a giant Lebanese flag or the Brazilian clergyman riding on a friend’s shoulders, draped in the Brazilian flag, making peace signs with both hands.
Thousands of miles to the west in New York City, television news cameras lined the sidewalk in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the iconic Midtown Manhattan Catholic church.
Alura Marini, 60, was at Mass at St. Patrick’s when the new pope was announced. Marini said the church started playing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” prompting churchgoers to erupt.
“I said: ‘Woah!’ I put my hand to my heart and said: The new pope is American?” Marini said, who comes to St. Patrick’s every day,
Marini said that she hopes Leo will emulate the late Pope Francis, who is popular among progressive-leaning Catholic New Yorkers.
“I hope the pope will embrace everybody, no discrimination in any way,” she said. “Embrace everybody the way they come.”
Maria Andrade, 58, said that over the last three to four years, she’s seen more events at her church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, targeted at younger Catholics. She said the selection of Leo gives her faith that the trend she’s seen in recent years will continue.
