Francis I elected to papacy

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“I announce to you with great joy: we have a Pope.”

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, appeared on the Vatican balcony as Francis I at 8:12 p.m. local time. The crowd immediately erupted with cries of “Habemus Papam!” and “Viva la Papa!”

Bergoglio served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998 and became a cardinal in 2001. He is the first Jesuit to be elected pope and, as an Argentine, is also the first from the Americas. The last non-European pope, according to the Associated Press, was Syria’s Gregory III in 731.

“Bergoglio was a very humble man,” said Matthew Gaetano, Hillsdale College assistant professor of history. “He did not live in the episcopal palace in Argentina, he rode the bus or subway, and so on. Without any fanfare, he resisted the injustices of an Argentinean regime, though he also frankly apologized for the failure of the Church to do everything that it could have done at that time.”

His chosen name, Francis I, references saints Francis of Assissi, founder of the Franciscan order, and Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits. Francis’ plea to Argentines on Wednesday to donate to the poor rather than celebrate in Rome, and his choice of “Miserando Atque Eligendo” (“Lowly But Chosen”) as the motto of his archdiocese, bear out the name’s association with service and poverty.

“As a champion of the poor and the most vulnerable among us, he carries forth the message of love and compassion that has inspired the world for more than 2,000 years — that in each other we see the face of God,” President Barack Obama said today in a message from the White House.

Hillsdale’s Associate Professor of Philosophy Nathan Schlueter shared the president’s excitement.

“A pro-life orthodox Jesuit Italian-Latino scholar from a German university with a love for Franciscan spirituality and theological aesthetics? What more could you ask for?” Schlueter said.

After leading the people in several prayers, Francis called for unity across the global Catholic church and again emphasized humility.

“And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust,” he said. “Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood…”

“And now I would like to give the blessing, but first I want to ask you a favor. Before the bishop blesses the people I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer, your prayer for me, in silence.”