Rome - White smoke in Rome in St. Peter's Square: the new Pope is here - Italy/World - Varese News
At 6:05 PM the news arrives on Vatican Radio, live: " White smoke, we have the pope ." Bells ring in celebration in Rome, St. Peter's Square in jubilation for the new pontiff.
THE WORKS OF THE CONCLAVE The new pontiff was elected by the votes of the Conclave that met on May 7, precisely in a context of extreme secrecy: according to the constitution Universi Dominici Gregis , it is forbidden for cardinals to have contact with the world. A precaution that served to avoid any type of interference in the choice of vote. The cardinals were invited to leave their cell phones in Santa Marta (their residence), where external communications were interrupted. The same happened for the Sistine Chapel. The conclavists were given a folder with photos and biographies of all the participants in the Conclave, including Cardinal Oscar Cantoni , head of the diocese of Como which also includes several localities in the valleys of Varese.
SECRETS AND CURIOSITIES The election of the Pope is a process full of history and symbolism. The term “Conclave” comes from the Latin “cum clave,” meaning “with key,” indicating the enclosure of the cardinals to ensure the secrecy of the voting. Among the most famous conclaves, the one of 1268-1271 in Viterbo lasted almost three years, the longest in history. The impatience of the citizens led to the decision to segregate the cardinals and reduce their food rations to speed up the election, culminating in the choice of Gregory X. Conversely, the shortest conclave took place in 1503, when Julius II was elected in just 10 hours. During the Conclave, cardinals vote with identical fountain pens provided by the Vatican. Although each cardinal may vote for himself, this practice is rare. Votes are signaled to the outside world by smoke: black for an unsuccessful election, white for the election of a new Pope. Curiously, no Pope has ever chosen the name “Peter,” in homage to Saint Peter, the first Pope. The most common names are John, Gregory, and Benedict.
Anecdotes tell that some cardinals considered unpublished names but were dissuaded for reasons of expediency or tradition.
THE SISTINE CHAPEL The Sistine Chapel , the heart of the Vatican, has been the place where the Pope has been elected since 1878. Its choice is not accidental: the space, closed and guarded, guarantees secrecy. Here, under Michelangelo's Last Judgement, the cardinals vote in silence, immersed in the images of divine judgement. The votes are marked by the famous smoke: black if the election fails, white if a new Pope is chosen. The Sistine Chapel , with its solemnity and majesty, makes every Conclave unique and solemn, intertwining faith, art and history. In addition to being the theatre of the papal election, the Sistine Chapel is a treasure chest of art unlike any other in the world. The walls are decorated by the great masters of the Renaissance, such as Botticelli, Perugino and Ghirlandaio, who tell the stories of Moses and Christ. But it is the frescoed ceiling by Michelangelo that dominates the space: nine scenes from Genesis, including the famous Creation of Adam, framed by prophets and sibyls. In the background, the Last Judgement, also by Michelangelo, admonishes the voting cardinals, reminding them of the spiritual responsibility of their gesture. A place where art and faith merge inextricably.
Varese News
