HABEMUS PAPAM!

Hi everybody, and welcome back to the Year of Faith blog!  What a joyous day!

(Click here to see photos of last night.  I'll try to upload some of our photos soon.)

 

So yes, we were in the square, and here's how it went:

 

We were in the middle of my birthday party, and I was actually cutting the carrot cake when Sister Regina Marie yelled from the other room: SMOKE! I dropped the knife and ran into the dining room and threw open the door, almost running smack into someone and yelling: THERE'S SMOKE!  I was already gone, running down the hallway at a dead sprint to get outside to see it.  It was raining, but I bolted out the door to the end of the terrazzo and jumped up on the ledge. The smoke was billowing, and I yelled behind me: I THINK IT'S WHITE, I THINK IT'S WHITE!!! The other sisters were right there, and then there was a flurry of phone calls, whoops, hollers, and me saying, "Hug me--I got a Pope for my birthday!!!" Best 30th birthday ever!

 

We could see the people starting to come to the square on Via della Conciliazione, the road that leads up to Saint Peter's, and from both colonnades.  Five of us decided to go into the Square. I had a bright pink umbrella so that we could stay together.  We ducked and weaved through the crowd until we were in front of the statue of Saint Peter, with a TV screen right there. We were about a 1/3 of the way up the straight part of the left-hand colonnade, if you're looking at an overhead of the square. Not too shabby! We waited in the square for about an hour, praying and yelling and getting squished to death--complete pandemonium. It was great.

 

Every time any change took place, the whole crowd gasped and yelled. First the Swiss Guards came back--yay!!!! Once His Holiness Benedict XVI resigned, they were no longer "active duty" so to speak, and the Italian police was in charge of security for Vatican City and the Papal residence. So the Swiss Guards came marching in--oh, we went crazy! Then the Italian armed forces came, representatives from all the branches, and that was also exciting. At a certain point, the lights came on behind the balcony (loggia) of Saint Peter's Basilica, and everyone went nuts!!! He was coming!!! When Cardinal Tauran came out: Annutio vobis gaudium magnum; HABEMUS PAPAM --the square was electrified. Then he said Georgio Mario Bergoglio (whom nobody knew), and we all cheered. Then there was the sound of 150,000+ people going: Who's that??  Who is he?? Did he say Angola? Is he from Africa? Who?? It's not an Italian?!  But the name sounds Italian?!  Francis--is that the first Francis--I think it's the first Francis!!

 

We could see shadows behind the curtains, and the suspense was unbearable! Then all the cardinal electors came out. Finally, after what seemed like forever he came out, and we all went wild. He looked stunned, and it seemed like he just sort of stood there and blinked at us. Once we quieted down, he just kept staring. And we just blinked right back. What now? He looked shocked--well, if you saw pictures of how packed the piazza was and then most of Via Conciliazione, that's understandable. I couldn't believe how many people were there. By then we were probably 200,000 people shoulder to shoulder. So here's what he said, when he was finally able to speak:

Brothers and sisters, good evening!
You know that it was the duty of the Conclave to give Rome a Bishop. It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth to get one... but here we are... I thank you for your welcome. The diocesan community of Rome now has its Bishop. Thank you! And first of all, I would like to offer a prayer for our Bishop Emeritus, Benedict XVI. Let us pray together for him, that the Lord may bless him and that Our Lady may keep him.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...
And now, we take up this journey: Bishop and People. This journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches. A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity. It is my hope for you that this journey of the Church, which we start today, and in which my Cardinal Vicar, here present, will assist me, will be fruitful for the evangelization of this most beautiful city.
And now I would like to give the blessing, but first - first I ask a favour of you: before the Bishop blesses his people, I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their Bishop. Let us make, in silence, this prayer: your prayer over me.
[...]
Now I will give the Blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.
[Blessing]
Brothers and sisters, I leave you now. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and until we meet again. We will see each other soon. Tomorrow I wish to go and pray to Our Lady, that she may watch over all of Rome. Good night and sleep well!

I have to say, I love our new Pope. He was totally endearing, and I can't wait for the Installation Mass. We're all definitely going. 

Cum gaudio magno,

Sister Anna Marie, RSM