Catholics in Raleigh celebrate and share ties to new Pope Leo XIV: 'Beautiful'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Father Noe Ramirez from Raleigh, who is studying in Rome, got a front row seat to the history - first the death of Pope Francis, the Conclave, and finally seeing Pope Leo XIV become the next pope.
"It was just a whole bunch of excitement, a whole bunch of joy, Viva el Papa," Ramirez told ABC11.
He and fellow priests from Raleigh watched in person as the smoke came from the Vatican.
"First, we thought it was black smoke, but it was white," he said.
Ramirez never thought he'd see an American pope, but he said that, in the moment, Pope Leo XIV's first words to the crowd were universal.
"That didn't really matter as much to us as much as his message of peace to the world, and that sense of community, which we need," he said.
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Back in Raleigh, the history was not lost on Bishop Luis Zarama, watching as a Chicago native with ties to Peru gets a chance to promote social justice worldwide.
"He is a pope not only for the Americans. He's a pope who has a passport from Peru, for the whole Americas with two passports, who brings the whole Americas together, that is beautiful," Zarama said.
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That beautiful moment caught Cris Ariza, from Peru, by surprise.
She told ABC11 in Spanish that she was excited about hearing the news at work at Mi Peru in Garner, learning that the one-time bishop of Chiclayo in northern Peru was now the pope.
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The lifelong Catholic shared her wishes to the new pope: "Peace in the world, and helping countries that need it," she said in Spanish.
But she also had to smile a little bit, showing ABC11 a meme her friends had been texting each other, of the new pope eating ceviche and drinking an Inca Kola, iconic Peruvian food and drinks, saying "orgulloso de ser chiclayano," or proud to be from Chiclayo, Peru.
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It was a moment making the world seem smaller, something our new pope with American roots and a global reach can tap into.
"The joy of the universality of the church, feeling that you're part of something bigger than yourself, the way we serve each other, it's something to bring home," Ramirez said.
