Pope Francis was greeted by cheers of joy from a large crowd of people who had gathered in Rome when he appeared on a balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square last night.
As white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel to signal that a new pope had been chosen, the bells of St Thomas’ Church in St Helier were ringing to celebrate the news.
Monsignor Nicholas France, the head of the Catholic Church in Jersey, said that the Island’s Catholic community would be ‘very excited’ at the surprise choice.
He said: ‘Pope Francis hasn’t been working in Rome recently, he has come with a fresh outlook and he seems to be the answer to what people have been saying the Church needs. ‘
