White and yellow bunting hung at Boston cathedral

BOSTON (WHDH) -- Catholics at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston reacted to the election of Pope Francis Wednesday.

Even though there was some disappointment Cardinal Sean O’Malley was not chosen to be pope, there was excitement that the new pope is from South America.

“Frankly, I was surprised. I was surprised that it was so quick. I was expecting at least a week, but it was just two days. And after two days of deliberation, they picked a pope from another country. The first non-European pope,” one man said.

“I just really thought it was going to be [Cardinal O’Malley] I really thought it was. Because he really is a good cardinal,” one churchgoer said.

“We’ve been praying hard for them to make sure that they’re going to pick or select a leader. So that’s very crucial now,” another man said.

Yellow and white bunting was hung up at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in honor of Pope Francis.

There will be a mass at the cathedral Thursday morning to honor Pope Francis.