For the faithful in St. Peter's Square, confusion and shock gave way to relief

Tens of thousands of faithful crammed into St. Peter's Square exchanged befuddled looks when Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as pope from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

- By PATRICIA MAZZEI

They knew Cardinals Pizzaballa and Parolin and Tagle. But Prevost?

A few people with cell phone reception started searching online as the news began to ripple through the crowd.

"I think they just elected an American pope," said Nicole Serena, 21, a student who is in Rome studying marketing.

Wait — an American? Some faces fell.

"Maybe he's a good guy?" said Catalina Zaza, 27, an Argentine art student in Rome who had been rooting for Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines to succeed Pope Francis. "We don't know."

A little over an hour earlier, when white smoke had started billowing from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, the crowd erupted with joy. "Habemus papam!" the faithful screamed.