In South Sudan, where a quarter of the population of eight million is Roman Catholic, people share their hopes and expectations for the new pope.
New Pope Sparks New Hopes in South Sudan
1
"It doesn’t matter if he's from Africa, from Argentina, or from where as long as he has that spirit of leading the people." Ben Benjamin, Munuki, Juba
Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.
Newly elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.
2
"Before, the pope was selected from Europe, but now it is out of Europe – inside South America. So we have that hope that maybe one day, one time, it will come slowly, slowly until it will reach Africa." Tony Garang, Juba
Newly elected Pope Francis waves from the steps of the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, March 14, 2013.
Newly elected Pope Francis waves from the steps of the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, March 14, 2013.
!["I just want him to do what the other pope didn’t do. Where [Benedict XVI] stopped, let [Francis] start..." Zaituni Mahmoud, Gudele, Juba White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/09d2e8c4-e4fe-4492-93bb-5c876137852a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
3
"I just want him to do what the other pope didn’t do. Where [Benedict XVI] stopped, let [Francis] start..." Zaituni Mahmoud, Gudele, Juba
White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.
White smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.
4
Crowds cheer as white smoke rises from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, indicating a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, March 13, 2013.