People from all over the world watched and waited in anticipation for the new Pope to step out on the balcony, including many kids right here in Sioux Falls.
Just like the crowds gathered outside the Vatican, Catholics all over Sioux Falls were glued to their televisions or computer screens Wednesday watching to see the new leader of the Catholic Church walk out on to the balcony in Rome for the first time.
Cheers could be heard throughout the halls of O'Gorman middle school in Sioux Falls as news of the white smoke came through the intercom.
"I've never seen a pope elected before and it's really cool that we get to see him be elected and that we're old enough to remember it," said O'Gorman eighth-grader Sophie Holtz.
Ben Koch's 8th grade class has been following the conclave all week.
"Looking at biographies of the cardinals, watching live feeds since the conclave started," said O'Gorman eighth grade religion teacher Ben Koch.
Days of researching and waiting had the students on the edge of their seats, but the millions of followers tuned in across the globe were causing some technical glitches in the classroom.
"So many people both here at the school and just world wide are watching these live streams that the band with is so congested," said Koch.
Like the rest of us watching the new Pope walk out, these students followed with a long list of questions that could all be found on the new Wikipedia page.
"There's already a Wikipedia page, he walked out on the balcony, I got a tweet and then there was a Wikipedia page," said Koch.
This instant connection helped these students realize the magnitude of this historic moment.
"He's the first Jesuit pope we've ever had, the first pope from the Americas, first Francis—this is pretty historic here guys," said Koch.
"I feel like I've been watching history because it's going to be quite a long time before we have a new pope….I think that he's going to help lead this church in the right direction," said Holtz.
