The White Puff Marks a New Pope: 89 Votes Securing the Title! 😇✨
Pope chosen through smoke signal from Sistine Chapel's flue
The air above Vatican City's Sistine Chapel turned white, signifying a thrilling moment in history - a new pope has been chosen to guide the Catholic Church! The white puff echoes that the triumphant candidate garnered a minimum of 89 votes from the 133 cardinals involved in the conclave to replace the late Pope Francis, who departed on April 21.
A wave of excitement rolled through the crowds congregated in St. Peter's Square, as the incredible white scene unfolded.
Sooner than later, an eminent cardinal will ascend to the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and summon out "Habemus Papam!" - Latin for "We have a pope!" He'll then disclose the pope's given name in Latin, followed by the new papal moniker. Shortly after, the newly minted pope will make their debut in the public eye and bestow blessings from the very same balcony.
The Dark Puff: A Precursor to More Voting Rounds 🕵️♂️
The evening air of Wednesday unfurled a cloud of black from the Sistine Chapel chimney, hinting at an inconclusive first round of voting within the papal conclave. The dark cloud arose shortly after 9 pm, approximately four and a half hours following the cardinals entering the chapel and taking their oaths, thus marking the commencement of the hushed proceedings.
The delay initiated chatter: Had the voting been repeated? Was someone under the weather or seeking translation assistance? Was the pre-vote meditation by the papal preacher exceptionally prolonged?
Encountering spectators like 63-year-old Costanza Ranaldi from Pescara, Italy, the Abruzzo region, simply expressed: "They probably need more time."
Although some cardinals had foreseen a speedy conclave, history whispers a different tune. Over the past century, the election of a pope usually transpires between three to 14 rounds of voting. John Paul I was elected on the fourth ballot in 1978, John Paul II on the eighth, and Pope Francis on the fifth in 2013.
The conclave commenced Wednesday afternoon with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect from such a long-standing tradition. Cardinals clothed in red robes, Latin hymns and chants, the presence of the Swiss Guard, and the silent sealing of the Sistine Chapel doors marked the beginning of a deeply symbolic process.
- In contrast to the white puff that signalled a new pope, a black cloud emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating an inconclusive first round of voting in the papal conclave.
- The dark cloud appeared after 9 pm, about four and a half hours following the cardinals' entrance and oath-taking, hinting at the commencement of additional voting rounds.
- While some cardinals anticipated a swift conclave, history suggests that the election of a pope usually takes between three to 14 rounds of voting.
- Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old spectator from Pescara, Italy, expressed her opinion that probably more time is needed for the voting process.
- As the conclave progresses, the news of politics in Vatican City continues to dominate general-news headlines, closely followed by updates on the cricket field from India.
