Lets congratulate the new pope Francis of Argentina

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected the Catholic Church's Pope, taking the name Francis.

 

Appearing on a balcony over St Peter's Square in Rome, he asked the faithful to pray for him, with cheers erupting as he gave a blessing.

 

The 76-year-old from Buenos Aires is the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to be pontiff.

 

Messages of goodwill have poured in from around the world. The Pope's inaugural Mass will be next Tuesday.

 

Pope Francis replaces Benedict XVI, who resigned last month at the age of 85, saying he was not strong enough to lead the Church.

 

Francis has telephoned Benedict and is planning to meet him, a Vatican spokesman said.

 

The new Pope takes the helm at a difficult time for the Catholic Church, facing an array of challenges which include the role of women, interfaith tensions and dwindling congregations in some parts of the world.

 

'Fruitful mission'

The election of a new Pope was signalled by white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening.

 

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At the scene

 

 

Michael Hirst

BBC News, Rome

There was elation on a rain-strewn St Peter's Square as the white smoke billowed from the rusty chimney. Brollies bounced and flags swayed as the basilica bells rang out.

 

The crowd swelled as Rome converged on the square, priests and pilgrims running to catch a glimpse of their new leader.

 

"Viva il papa!" they chanted, as they waited to learn his name. Once the crowd had been told, the chants quickly turned to: "Fran-ces-co! Fran-ces-co!"

 

And then, to trumpet fanfare, the balcony curtains parted and the new Pope appeared above them, to bless them - but only after he had asked them to pray with him, and for him. The people were touched, and roared their approval.

 

Electric atmosphere

Change and continuity

About an hour later, the name of the new Pope was read out.

 

The BBC's James Robbins, in St Peter's Square, says that at first the crowd was unsure who this man was, but they seemed to warm to his humour.

 

He began his address to the crowds by offering a prayer for his predecessor.

 

In a light-hearted moment, he said his fellow cardinals had gone to the "ends of the Earth" to find a bishop of Rome.

 

He went on to ask the crowd to "pray to God so that he can bless me", before calling on the world to set off on a path of love and fraternity.

 

"Habemus Papam Franciscum," was the first tweet by the papal account @pontifex since Benedict stood down last month.

 

The election was met with thunderous applause at the cathedral in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis' home city.

 

Throughout Latin America - home to 40% of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics - people reacted with delight and surprise.

 

"It's a huge gift for all of Latin America. We waited 20 centuries. It was worth the wait," said Jose Antonio Cruz, a Franciscan friar in the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, quoted by the Associated Press.

 

"Everyone from Canada down to Patagonia is going to feel blessed. This is an event."

 

US President Barack Obama sent "warm wishes" on behalf of the American people to the newly elected pontiff, hailing the Argentine as "the first pope from the Americas".

 

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Pope Francis

 

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 (age 76) in Buenos Aires, of Italian descent

Ordained as a Jesuit in 1969

Studied in Argentina and Germany

Became Cardinal of Buenos Aires in 1998

Seen as orthodox on sexual matters but strong on social justice

Argentines divided

Wry Brazilian welcome

Profile: Pope Francis

World reaction

Argentina's President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner wished him a "fruitful pastoral mission".

 

She is expected to attend the Pope's inauguration Mass on Tuesday, as is US Vice President Joe Biden, himself a Catholic.

 

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said it was a "momentous day" for Catholics, while Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the world's Anglicans, offered him "every blessing".

 

"I look forward to meeting Pope Francis, and to walking and working together to build on the consistent legacy of our predecessors," he said in a statement.

 

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he looked forward to cooperation under Pope Francis's "wise leadership".

 

Correspondents say Cardinal Bergoglio was a surprise choice and not among a small group of frontrunners before the election.

 

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

 

He is regarded as a doctrinal conservative but seen as a potential force for reform of the Vatican bureaucracy, which may have won the support of reforming cardinals.

 

However, he is known more than anything for his humility. He has spent almost his entire career in Argentina and often travels to work by bus.

 

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Pope's next steps

 

Thursday: Pope celebrates Mass with cardinals in Sistine Chapel - closed to public but televised

Friday: Pope meets all cardinals, including those over 80 who did not take part in conclave

Saturday: Papal audience with media

Sunday: Pope recites Angelus with faithful in St Peter's Square

Tuesday: Pope formally installed at Mass in St Peter's Square

The BBC's Marcia Carmo in Buenos Aires says Cardinal Bergoglio's sermons always had an impact in Argentina: he often stressed social inclusion and indirectly criticised governments that did not pay attention to those on the margins of society.

 

"He is a very serious figure, with moral clout... but very down to earth," said Monsignor Eduardo Garcia of the Cathedral of Buenos Aires.

 

The name the new Pope has taken is reminiscent of St Francis of Assisi, the 13th Century Italian reformer and patron saint of animals, who lived in poverty.

 

The saint was said to have been summoned by God to repair a Church in ruins.

 

Cardinal Bergoglio, whose family roots are Italian, is generally thought to have come second in the last conclave in 2005, which elected Benedict XVI as Pope.

 

The 115 cardinals involved in the 2013 election were 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 appeared to be no clear choice to replace Benedict.

[Alpha Blondy]

will the Vatican establish an office in Somaliland?

 

please confirm XX?

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Not sure but we should not exclude it:D

 

Waanu so dhaweyneyna pope fransis so dhawoow

[Tallaabo]

^

[Jacaylbaro]

XX, Hada iska ilaali Popes kaas iyo Ciyaalka waxbaa kala haystee

[Odey]

Dont give xaaji a hard time. War xaaji, boobka aqoonsigii ma ka soo dhameese sxb?

Loool. I can just about imagine xaaji doing that. War iska ilaali odeyga, JB horey u sheegey camal.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Jacaylbaro;927368 wrote:

XX, Hada iska ilaali Popes kaas iyo Ciyaalka waxbaa kala haystee

Jacalbaro dhibaatada keeneysa in caruurta popeku la faraka ciyaaro mar mar wu ku talax taga wa popeka looma ogola inu guursado, anigu sharci baan so saari laha popeku ha guursado oo ha nafiso , dabeedna caruurta faraka ciyaariska waka deyn laha, wa siday ila tahay

[Jacaylbaro]

Adeer maad fahmin waxaan u jeedo

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Dee anigu Popeka masabidi mayo isagu meesha iman ba wali, popeka aynu so dhaweyno oo shaqadisa horta ha bilaabo. Xal na waan u raadinaya hawla kale eh ay qabtaan qolyaha popeka ama vatikaanka.

[DoctorKenney]

I don't understand how this is relevant to Somalis in any way ....?

 

Unless we would welcome the Vatican opening up offices in Somalia and Somaliland with the intention of proselytizing their Catholic religion (which will not happen)...how is this important to us at all?

[Tallaabo]

^ Waar dee Veticanku waa wadan madax banaan. Markaa ictiraaf baanu odayga ka rabnaa;)

[Carafaat]

So dhawooooow Pope.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Wakan popeki cusba so dhawoow popow wuxu u dhashay dalka argentina