LEWISTON — Bells tolled in the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul — the pope’s church in Maine — shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday to celebrate the election of Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

Local Catholics said they knew little about the 76-year-old man or his history. However, they said they were pleased with the flexibility the church demonstrated by picking someone from outside Europe.

“It is very significant that he is from South America,” said Monsignor Marc Caron, who leads the Lewiston area’s Prince of Peace Parish. “Close to half of the world’s (Catholic) population is there.”

Rita Dube, former director of the Franco-American Heritage Center,  had been watching and reading coverage of the election, but the Lewiston Catholic was unfamiliar with Bergoglio. She’d been pulling for a North American. And if not, she liked Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec.

“He seemed like such a nice man,” Dube said. “He’s got a face that’s peaceful and spiritual. Just looking at him, he looked like a holy man.”

Caron said he was familiar with Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. The monsignor understood that the cardinal was the runner-up during the 2005 election that elevated Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger to Pope Benedict XVI.

Caron guessed that the Argentinian would be too old to take the job this time. Of course, the conclave chose differently.

Though Bergoglio became the pope the moment he accepted the job, he will be formally installed with a ceremony likely to be held during the upcoming week.

As a basilica, Saints Peter and Paul has a connection to the papacy. Were a pope to visit Maine, he would likely visit this church. In Pope Francis’ honor, the basilica will likely have a special Mass, Caron said.

Robert Gilbert, a lay minister with the Prince of Peace Parish, said he would pray for the new pope. But he was surprised by the election.

Since Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise resignation last month, Gilbert has read biographies of some of the men considered to be front-runners for the job. He was unfamiliar with Bergoglio.

“Maybe someone from a different hemisphere, someone with a different background and experience will have a significant effect,” Gilbert said. But it was only a guess.

“I may be 1,000 degrees off,” he said.

Either way, the new pope will need the prayers of all Catholics, he said.

“Not one person possesses all of the qualities you would like to see,” Gilbert said. “You would have to be superhuman.”

Dube had high hopes for the new church leader.

“I am hoping he is one that can bring the church forward because of all of the problems that have been going on in the church for the last several years,” she said. “We need someone who is strong and firm and pious, and (will) be the shepherd that he should be on this Earth for his flock.”

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