ROME, Italy. - Two Worcester college students were among the many people in attendance at the Vatican when the new pope was announced. 

Maryja Prytko and Savina Villani are students at Assumption University.

They're studying abroad in Rome this semester.

The two were at St. Peter's Square when the white smoke first billowed from the chimney announcing the new pope and stayed to hear his first address.

“You have people from so many different backgrounds and just to all be fixated on the curtains where he's coming out, it was crazy” said Savina Villani. “Everyone was fixated on the same thing. It didn't matter where we came from, what political beliefs we had. We all were just focused on who was the pope.”

“First American pope and for American study abroad students, it was just… I wasn't expecting it at all” said Maryja Prytko. “I thought I was going to be the Filipino, so it's just incredible. I'm so excited to see this. And I was telling her earlier, we could go visit Chicago now and see his hometown and see his parish.”

The two head back to Assumption Monday and said this was a great way to end their semester abroad.