Michael KellyThe spontaneous trust in the process of electing Pope Francis was moving, writes Michael Kelly
Rome was unusually bitterly cold and damp the evening that cardinals elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio to lead the Church. Some 7,000 journalists had descended on the eternal city to see the spectacle. “How would we journalists be informed?” one reporter not used to the Vatican asked a bemused Vatican spokesman.
“The same way everyone else, including me, will be informed,” Fr Federico Lombardi answered. “We’ll see the white smoke.”
The tradition of informing the world of the result of the papal ballots by means of black or white smoke seemed quaint in an environment where each reporter sat in front of several screens monitoring news, social media and emails.
As boredom set it, giddiness was inevitable. One wag set up a Twitter account for the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel roof. It soon had thousands of followers – many of them in the Vatican press office – as it tweeted the experience of playing a role in the conclave.
As night fell, a large spotlight was trained on the chimney, this soon attracted the curiosity of a seagull. You’ve guessed it, within minutes, the gull too had a Twitter account opining on his level of comfort on the chimney.
When smoke begin to puff out of the Vatican chimney there are always a few anxious moments as it is neither black nor white, but grey. However, within seconds, there was little doubt – white smoke began billowing out and pilgrims in St Peter’s Square began chanting “long live the Pope!”
The spontaneous trust in the process moved me. No one in the square had any idea who the new Pope was, but still their prayer was for his long life.
Within minutes, tens of thousands of people began running towards the square as Romans joined with visitors and pilgrims for a glimpse of their new bishop.
When the name “Jorge Mario Bergoglio” was read out, there was an enormous cheer only surpassed by the announcement that he had chosen the name ‘Francis’ – the patron saint of Italy.
We had been assured that the new Pontiff would make an appearance on the central balcony shortly after his name had been announced. There were, of course, the usuals: he would have to vest in white papal garb, he would have to briefly greet all the cardinals. But, this wait was different, it was longer. Journalists and commentators began to speak slower and slower as they tried to fill the time on thousands of radio and television channels that had interrupted normal programming to go to Rome for the new Pope’s blessing.
Election
Of course, we know now that the delay was due to the fact that after his election, Pope Francis went to pray in the nearby Pauline Chapel. Eyewitnesses recount how a clearly weighed-down, even troubled, man entered the Pauline Chapel only to emerge 20 minutes later a model of peace, serenity and above all, joy.
It is a Pope we have grown to expect and to love. Pope Francis is a Pope who surprises, a Pope who is leading us to be ever-more a Church that surprises.