In less than 24 hours after the selection of a new pope, the people of Buenos Aires aren't as elated as they appeared last night.
While Argentina’s Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio , now known as Pope Francis, delivered his first blessing to the faithful in St Peter's Square, half a world a way, the reaction was mixed.
Immediately after the selection of Pope Francis, crowds gathered in Plaza de Mayo, the traditional “public square” in the downtown area.
While partier whooped it up in the plaza, the faithful gathered across the street at The Metropolitan Cathedral, seat of the Catholic church in Argentina.
"I felt like crying. I felt great excitement. It is a blessing from God," said Ines Ambrosi, who spoke to CNN en Español outside New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral shortly after the news was announced. "In Latin America there are millions of Catholics and truly it has been a bit forgotten by the church. Now we feel very represented, and proud."
Argentine Martin Watson compared the new pope to another kind of celebration that has historically been far more common in his country.
"The news, for us, was almost like winning the World Cup in soccer," he said.
Not many are as happy with the selection of the Pope.
Many human rights activists accuse Pope Francis, 76, of being more concerned with the polishing of the church's image than providing real substance for Argentina’s many human rights trials.
“There’s hypocrisy here when it comes to the church’s conduct, and with Bergoglio in particular,” said Estela de la Cuadra, whose mother co-founded the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo activist group during the dictatorship to search for missing family members. “There are trials of all kinds now, and Bergoglio systematically refuses to support them.”
Only time will tell which image is correct.
Jerry Nelson is an American photojournalist living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Facebook.
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