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| Catholic faithful watch Sistine chapel smoke as they await new pope | Catholic faithful watch Sistine chapel smoke as they await new pope |
| (25 days later) | |
| When the smoke came, billowing out in clouds from the Sistine chapel chimney, it was unquestionably black. But that didn't seem to matter greatly to the thousands who had waited in the cold and drizzle. "Look at the people; look at the excitement," said Erik Paulson, a martial arts teacher from Orange County, California. Shortly after the cheer went up, Paulson and his wife received a blessing from a passing priest in a floodlit, expectant, umbrella-spotted St Peter's square. "It's a big show of faith," he said. "Look at everyone's face: they're hopeful." | When the smoke came, billowing out in clouds from the Sistine chapel chimney, it was unquestionably black. But that didn't seem to matter greatly to the thousands who had waited in the cold and drizzle. "Look at the people; look at the excitement," said Erik Paulson, a martial arts teacher from Orange County, California. Shortly after the cheer went up, Paulson and his wife received a blessing from a passing priest in a floodlit, expectant, umbrella-spotted St Peter's square. "It's a big show of faith," he said. "Look at everyone's face: they're hopeful." |
| While the smoke wasn't white on Tuesday night, the pilgrims did not care: they knew it would be only a matter of time before it was. More than two hours earlier, after a ceremonial procession that had taken them through the Apostolic Palace, past the Swiss guards and past the lavishly frescoed walls, the 115 cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic church had been shut inside the Sistine Chapel for a conclave to choose the 265th successor to St Peter and the 266th pope. The first ballot had, unsurprisingly, proved inconclusive. But, at some point in the coming days, the world will find out just who will be Benedict XVI's successor at the helm of a troubled and beleaguered church. | While the smoke wasn't white on Tuesday night, the pilgrims did not care: they knew it would be only a matter of time before it was. More than two hours earlier, after a ceremonial procession that had taken them through the Apostolic Palace, past the Swiss guards and past the lavishly frescoed walls, the 115 cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic church had been shut inside the Sistine Chapel for a conclave to choose the 265th successor to St Peter and the 266th pope. The first ballot had, unsurprisingly, proved inconclusive. But, at some point in the coming days, the world will find out just who will be Benedict XVI's successor at the helm of a troubled and beleaguered church. |
| "One of the biggest deals with the new pope is restoring the hope for everyone in the church and getting everyone back on track with their faith and belief. Faith in the church; faith in the fathers and the priests, and faith in God," said Paulson, next to one of the big television screens showing the chimney. Nuns shivered in clusters; teenagers tested each other on the saints. | "One of the biggest deals with the new pope is restoring the hope for everyone in the church and getting everyone back on track with their faith and belief. Faith in the church; faith in the fathers and the priests, and faith in God," said Paulson, next to one of the big television screens showing the chimney. Nuns shivered in clusters; teenagers tested each other on the saints. |
| "I think the people are ready and the vibration and the energy of the earth has changed. People need that and want that." | "I think the people are ready and the vibration and the energy of the earth has changed. People need that and want that." |
| Quite what the world's 1.2 billion Catholics want from their new leader may or may not have been on the minds of the cardinal electors as, chanting the Litany of Saints, they entered the Sistine Chapel and bowed before the altar wall bearing Michelangelo's Last Judgment. | Quite what the world's 1.2 billion Catholics want from their new leader may or may not have been on the minds of the cardinal electors as, chanting the Litany of Saints, they entered the Sistine Chapel and bowed before the altar wall bearing Michelangelo's Last Judgment. |
| At the end of 10 general congregations – or meetings – designed to establish what they themselves were looking for from the new pope, the cardinals still had more to say. But their time was up. In a Latin oath accented according to their native countries, they stepped up one by one to swear a pledge of secrecy on the gospel. | At the end of 10 general congregations – or meetings – designed to establish what they themselves were looking for from the new pope, the cardinals still had more to say. But their time was up. In a Latin oath accented according to their native countries, they stepped up one by one to swear a pledge of secrecy on the gospel. |
| Then, a simple two-word command brought an end to the torrent of words and chants and prayers. "Extra omnes," declared Guido Marini, the master of ceremonies: "All out." The assistants, priests, nuns, bishops and Swiss guards who had been helping left. At 5.34pm, the doors were shut. After one last sermon, the cardinals were left to themselves. | Then, a simple two-word command brought an end to the torrent of words and chants and prayers. "Extra omnes," declared Guido Marini, the master of ceremonies: "All out." The assistants, priests, nuns, bishops and Swiss guards who had been helping left. At 5.34pm, the doors were shut. After one last sermon, the cardinals were left to themselves. |
| As they stood in the chapel, they may have had the words of Angelo Sodano ringing in their ears. The dean of the college of cardinals – a curial stalwart who, at 85, was too old to vote in conclave but not too old to exert his influence – led a spectacular pro eligendo Romano Pontefice mass in St Peter's basilica in the morning at which the electors prayed for divine help with their decision. | As they stood in the chapel, they may have had the words of Angelo Sodano ringing in their ears. The dean of the college of cardinals – a curial stalwart who, at 85, was too old to vote in conclave but not too old to exert his influence – led a spectacular pro eligendo Romano Pontefice mass in St Peter's basilica in the morning at which the electors prayed for divine help with their decision. |
| As the thunder rumbled and the rain began to fall on the hundreds of pilgrims outside, the cardinals had appeared solemn as they made their way down the aisle in their scarlet vestments. In their final audience with him last month, the so-called "princes" of the church had been urged by the emeritus pope to "work like an orchestra", overcoming their divisions to achieve harmony. In his last Ash Wednesday mass, also in St Peter's, Benedict had hit out at the "individualism and rivalry" that "disfigured" the face of the church. | As the thunder rumbled and the rain began to fall on the hundreds of pilgrims outside, the cardinals had appeared solemn as they made their way down the aisle in their scarlet vestments. In their final audience with him last month, the so-called "princes" of the church had been urged by the emeritus pope to "work like an orchestra", overcoming their divisions to achieve harmony. In his last Ash Wednesday mass, also in St Peter's, Benedict had hit out at the "individualism and rivalry" that "disfigured" the face of the church. |
| Now, though, it was the turn of Sodano to speak, and while he gave few clues to what kind of pope he wanted to see, he did return once more to the question of unity, quoting St Paul's letter to the Ephesians in a thinly-veiled appeal to his fellow cardinals to unite behind the next pontiff. | Now, though, it was the turn of Sodano to speak, and while he gave few clues to what kind of pope he wanted to see, he did return once more to the question of unity, quoting St Paul's letter to the Ephesians in a thinly-veiled appeal to his fellow cardinals to unite behind the next pontiff. |
| "Each of us," he said, "is therefore called to cooperate with the successor of Peter, the visible foundation of such an ecclesial unity." | "Each of us," he said, "is therefore called to cooperate with the successor of Peter, the visible foundation of such an ecclesial unity." |
| For many of the thousands-strong congregation, however, the allusion to battling cardinals was of secondary importance. What mattered was which one of them would become pope. | For many of the thousands-strong congregation, however, the allusion to battling cardinals was of secondary importance. What mattered was which one of them would become pope. |
| "It was so beautiful to be there, praying for something we know in our hearts is true: that the Holy Spirit will help them pick the right person," said Nina Fisher, who had flown in from Philadelphia to witness the conclave for herself. | "It was so beautiful to be there, praying for something we know in our hearts is true: that the Holy Spirit will help them pick the right person," said Nina Fisher, who had flown in from Philadelphia to witness the conclave for herself. |
| Fisher acknowledged that the church had been through "troubling" times in recent years, but had high hopes for whoever will take on its fraught leadership. "I have a couple of favourites- [Marc] Ouellet, from Canada, and [Luis Antonio] Tagle, from the Philippines," she said. "But anyway, whether he's young or old, wherever he's from, we know he'll be the right person." | Fisher acknowledged that the church had been through "troubling" times in recent years, but had high hopes for whoever will take on its fraught leadership. "I have a couple of favourites- [Marc] Ouellet, from Canada, and [Luis Antonio] Tagle, from the Philippines," she said. "But anyway, whether he's young or old, wherever he's from, we know he'll be the right person." |
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