Updated 10:35 pm

The world was caught up in a whirlwind this afternoon when white smoke billowed above the Sistine Chapel, signifying that the Roman Catholic Church had selected its next Pope. About an hour later, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio appeared on the balcony to greet the thousands of people eagerly awaiting him (CNN.com). Bergoglio, who will now be known as Pope Francis I, is the first Argentinian and South American to hold the highest position in the Catholic church.

The selection of Pope Francis was met with much approval at Langley. “With almost two-thirds of the Catholic world not being located in the west (Brazil alone has more Catholics than Italy, France and Spain combined) it’s about time the Vatican has stopped being so narrow-minded and chosen a Pope who’s not European,” said sophomore Cameron Davis. Pope Francis is the first non-European pope in the modern era, according to CNN.

“It’s great that an area like Argentina that is largely of the Christian faith is finally getting a leader like them,” added senior Selma Pulak.

Sophomore Shivani Gupta found Pope Francis relatable and humble. “I liked that he choose to wear his own simple cross over the typically jeweled one. [And] I was so excited when I realized he was speaking Spanish, the language I’m currently taking. I could imagine my teacher, Senor Worthington’s, excitement and overall it made me feel more connected to him,” said Gupta.

Pope Francis will inherit many challenges to deal with, including power struggles over the Vatican bank, a shortage of priests and the sexual abuse crisis, according to the New York Times. “His turn away from the opulence and insulation that has been rampant throughout the Catholic church in the past is certainly refreshing,” said senior Drew Armstrong.

Another unique characteristic of Pope Francis is that he is the first Jesuit to be named pope. “Since I liked Georgetown University (which is a Jesuit university) on Facebook, my news feed is blowing up with posts of excitement from them,” said senior Preet Sohal.

Not only does the pope’s Jesuit background set him apart, he is also known for being less fiscally conservative than past popes, according to freshman Dan Englund. “Benedict was extremely conservative. The [new] pope being both Latin American and Jesuit illustrates that the Catholic Church no longer relies on its old precedent of conservative Italians to determine the pope. That, in conjunction with the recent stepping down of Benedict, will quite possibly lead to a drastic change in how people perceive the papacy,” he said.

However, not everybody is a fan of the new pope. “Although the commentary about him being South American was nice, it was nothing short of a political move by the cardinals and deserves little moral commendation,” said senior Aishvar Radhakrishnan. “Rather than elect a reform-minded Pope, they have elected a pope with traditional values; one who vehemently fought against gay marriage in Argentina, the first country in South America to allow gay marriage.”

To read a devoted Catholic student’s opinion article on Pope Francis, click here.