Rome

Members of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Huntington reacted to news of the election of Pope Francis Wednesday.

The sign of a new pope in Vatican City created excitement for Catholics here at home, like Traci Ferguson, who attends mass near Marshall University.

"I’ve just reconnected with my faith and I felt this heightened sense of anticipation," Ferguson said.

St. Joseph members in Huntington gathered in Father Dean Borgmeyer's kitchen to watch their new leader, Pope Francis, take the world stage.

Catholics are hoping this new pope will renew an interest in their faith after the church has been rocked with sex abuse scandals.

Ferguson said the first non-European pope in a thousand years was the right choice.

"He'll have no problem bringing fallen Catholics back to the faith," Ferguson said.

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The sign of a new pope in Vatican city, Rome, created excitement for Catholics here at home.

Members of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Huntington gathered in father Dean Borgmeyer's kitchen to watch their new leader, Pope Francis I. take the world stage.

Catholics are hoping this new pope will renew an interest in their faith, after the church has been rocked with sex abuse scandals.

"He's a very humble pope," Borgemeyer said. "He values protection of children, and accountability."

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CNN reported that Jorge Bergogolio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pope on Wednesday, the first pontiff from Latin America to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

Bergogolio, who will be known as Pope Francis, was elected by cardinals in what was apparently their fifth round of voting on the second day of their conclave.

Dressed in white papal vestments, Bergogolio first appeared to the world from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

"As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome," he told a cheering crowd of thousands packed into St. Peter's Square.

The new pope waved to cheering crowd

"It seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen one who is from faraway . . . Here I am. I would like to thank you for your embrace."

Until last year, Bergoglio was the archbishop of Buenos Aires before stepping down because of his age. He is 76.

Bergoglio is considered a straight-shooter who calls things as he sees them, and a follower of the church's most conservative wing.

He has clashed with the government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner over his opposition to gay marriage and free distribution of contraceptives.

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The new pope has been identified as Jorge Bergoglio.

He was a cardinal and is from Argentina. He is 76 years old. CNN reports he is taking the name of Francis.

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White smoke pours out from the Sistine Chapel chimney in St. Peter's Square, signaling that a new pope has been chosen.

Whoever the 266th pope may be, he now will change into his papal white cassock, and one-by-one the cardinals approach him to swear their obedience.

He will stop and pray in the Pauline Chapel for a few minutes before emerging on the loggia of the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Preceding him to the balcony will be French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the protodeacon, who will announces "Habemus Papam!" Latin for "We have a pope" and then introduce him to the world in Latin.

He then will emerge and deliver his first public words as the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

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