Jay Fadden, our Vice President, is covering the conclave live from Rome. Here, he shares daily reports with us from St. Peter’s Square. Check back each day for updates!
Rome is alive. It is difficult to move throughout the city today due to the throngs of crowds clogging the streets in every direction surrounding the Vatican. Jason and I had a challenging time making our way to the media section because security was tight and people were everywhere. Bands are playing and marching through the square as everyone prepares for the Holy Father, Leo the 14th, to pray the Regina Coeli.
It seems like a celebration; people wave flags from their country and smile as they talk to one another and point at the splendor of Saint Peter’s. It is hard to imagine a more festive atmosphere than I am witnessing right now. It is a day I will remember, and my only regret is that, when it is finished, I need to try to get back to my apartment through this continually swelling crowd.
What a day it is for the church, the new Holy Father, and the world. It is truly a day of unity and faith.
I awoke early Saturday morning and decided to walk down to St. Peter’s Basilica to soak in the scene. A very long line of pilgrims had already formed, waiting to go through security to enter St. Peter’s. There was a large group of nuns waiting silently, all holding rosary beads. It amazed me that the line was so long, this early, when the basilica would not open for another half an hour.
There was a chill in the air as the sun rose, but it promised to be another beautiful day in Rome. As I turned the corner, I saw the full beauty of St. Peter’s. It is magnificent—a true site to behold. The square was mostly empty at this early hour in the mornin: just me, a few stragglers, a cleaning crew, and of course, my new friends the pigeons and seagulls. There is something different in the early morning. It is the silence. It is calm and brings a sense of serenity.
As I lean against a railing in front of a fountain, listening to the pitter patter of the drops as they hit the water, I realize how blessed I am today. I am in a place I love, witnessing history. Years from now, when people talk of this moment, I will be sitting there with a smile on my face, knowing I witnessed it first hand. God truly has blessed me and my family.
Rome is many things to many people, and to me it is a place of faith and renewal. Thank you for reading my blog.
It all seems like a dream. It happened last night, but it seems so long ago. We were all surprised when the crowd began to roar and the white smoke appeared. Many thought it would take longer. Soon after the smoke had dissipated and the bands and Swiss Guard marched through the square, newly elected Pope Leo XlV walked through the red draped door high above St. Peter’s to the adulation of all in attendance. It was electric.
Even as the huge crowd filed out of the square, you could sense the wonder and awe of the moment. That was last night. This morning there is still a buzz, but the scene is much different. Gone are the large crowds, replaced by cleanup crews, a diminished police presence, and some media scattered around trying to file reports. The people who are present this early morning point to the balcony where history occurred. Many of these pilgrims are still savoring the history they are now part of today. Pigeons fly around the square looking for morsels of food. People move throughout the square taking in the beauty and splendor. All seems back to normal.
After weeks of being the focus of the world, the old city of Rome settles into a new beginning. Today is day two of a new pontificate, and the world waits in anticipation for the results. It is a new day.
We have an American pope. As the velvet red curtains opened, the crowd exploded in applause, and Cardinal Prevost walked through the door as Pope Leo the XlV. You could hear the press keep repeating Americano, Americano, in disbelief. An American pope! Many thought it would never happen. Even more history is being made. It is a moment in time and a moment in history, forever to be etched in the annuals. Today, the seat of Peter is filled. Viva la Papa!
OSV News photo/Dylan Martinez, Reuters
We have a pope. The white smoke caused an instant reaction from the crowd as they realized that the cardinals had decided on the new leader of the Catholic Church. Applause erupted while people joyfully sang and cried, as they had been awaiting this moment for the past few days.
The atmosphere is electric as people run down the main boulevard, trying to get into the square. The lines to get through security are gigantic as people press forward. Bands process through the square as the crowd roars its approval. The famous Swiss Guard lead the ceremony. It is a moment in time that few will forget as we now await to unravel the mystery and be introduced to the new successor of St. Peter, who will walk through that door high above the basilica entrance.
What a moment this is—not only for the Catholic Church, but for the world. It is a day of joy and celebration. God is good.
I sat high above St. Peter’s Square when I heard the crowd begin to cheer. It was cold, with off and on rain. We were not quire sure if they saw smoke, as there had already been several false cheers. But this was real.
Black smoke billowed from the chimney, signaling we would have to wait longer for a new pope. The crowd was smaller than the night before but still substantial. They all began to exit the square, clogging the roads. But, though disappointed, they still seemed happy. I believe it is because a new pope is inevitable. Soon it will be white smoke, and the crowds will rejoice.
While we’ve waited these past two days, we have begun to watch a dance between a seagull and the Vatican drone. Shirley has named the drone the “drone of hope” because it always heads towards the chimney. Well, this one seagull doesn’t like the drone of hope at all and constantly dive bombs it. The seagull follows the drone around and is not happy. These are the games you play when you wait for hours for white smoke!
Tonight may be the moment we have been waiting for since our arrival. I hope the drone of hope is around to capture it.
As the sun rises over St. Peter’s Basilica, there is a stillness in the air. The scene is much different from last night, when it was difficult to move due to the large numbers of people exiting St. Peter’s after the disappointment of the black smoke. The streets are quiet early this morning, and there is a chill in the air. People mull around, and security is ever present.
At this hour, the pigeons outnumber the pilgrims. Jason and I needed to arrive early to wait in line with the press to be ushered to designated areas. When you wait in line, you truly understand the international interest in this historical event. You hear many languages: Italian, French, German, Japanese, and so many more. It is a melting pot of humanity.
I am struck by the community the media is becoming through shared experiences. It is uplifting. But the big question remains: Will today be the day?
As we wait, the city becomes alive. People walk with purpose, and all who walk by St. Peter’s glance at the red draped doors. Will history be made today? Only God knows. We will see the smoke at about noon Rome time. Will it be white? It is exciting with a twinge of apprehension.
When the white smoke finally rises, the world will take notice, and the Catholic Church will have a new shepherd. Everything will change.
Not today. As black smoke billowed from the chimney at the Sistine Chapel, an audible groan could be heard from the tens of thousands gathered to possibly witness history. As the smoke dissipated, so did the crowds. The disappointment was etched on their faces as the sun set and a successor of Peter was not elected. People slowly departed the square, some glancing back at the closed red draped door that will not be opening today.
But hope still permeates the air as tomorrow brings a new day and new possibilities. Only God knows if a new pope will walk out that door, but excitement will build, and Catholics wait with anticipation. Tomorrow, we will return to continue the story of the conclave—a story over 2000 years old.
The beginning of the conclave is a moving moment. Saint Peter’s Square, which was empty hours before, is now filled with pilgrims and those waiting to see if a new pope will be elected tonight. People move quickly and with purpose throughout the square as they await a decision from the Cardinals. Will it be black or white smoke? It is a mystery guided by the Holy Spirit.
No one but the 133 Cardinals know the mood inside the Sistine Chapel. On the ground, millions of pictures are being taken and most people are smiling, knowing they are eyewitnesses to history. There is a nervous energy that can be felt. It is a moment in time that will be written in history books.
After all the guessing, all the anxiety, and all the prayers, soon a new successor of Peter will walk through the door above the doors of St. Peter’s to lead the Catholic Church. It may not be today, but it will be soon, and we are all preparing for this momentous moment. May God guide the Cardinals’ decision.
Today it begins. The Cardinals have been meeting the past several days, and today they will gather for Mass and then process to the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. They will take an oath of confidentiality, then everyone not voting will leave and the doors will be shut.
There will be only one opportunity today to observe the smoke from the chimney signaling if a pope has been elected, but after today, there will be four meetings a day. Twice a day, smoke will rise from the chimney until, finally, white smoke will appear, and a new pope will lead the Catholic Church. In that moment much will happen. Bells will ring, Swiss guard will assemble, and crowds will roar.
Today will be exciting, and each day that excitement will build. Each time a Cardinal walks through St. Peter’s square, you can hear the murmur as people tell them they are praying for them, while others snap pictures. They are now the focus of the world as all eyes turn towards Rome.
The scene at the square is electric. People are praying while others mull around in awe at history unfolding in front of them. Vatican staff weave through the crowds, setting up barricades and cleaning the area, preparing for the big moment. There is constant movement, and as the anticipation grows, it is impossible to escape the gravity of the history before us. There is no escaping the presence of God today. May He guide the decisions made.
Today, Rome is the center of the world once again.
It is the day before the Conclave, and the excitement is building. Everywhere around St. Peter’s Square, news teams and reporters file reports and hustle around. There is a buzz in the air, an electricity that is hard to define. It is not rare to see large groups of pilgrims process down the street toward St. Peter’s. They are part of the fabric of the moment.
Everywhere you look, there is a scene right out of a movie. It is beautiful, exciting and hectic. There are conversations in many different languages as people from around the world gather together in great anticipation. Police and security are ever present as are those selling trinkets, trying to make a meager living. People are praying rosaries while others just sit in amazement at the beauty of St. Peter’s. Their faces tell the story of the wonder they behold.
Personally, I feel attached to this historical moment because of my faith. I look at the door high above St. Peter’s knowing that a new pope will walk onto that balcony soon. It is surreal. It is a constant barrage of visual stimulation.
Tomorrow it all begins. Tomorrow is a new day. Thank you for reading my blog!
Jay Fadden
Vice President, CatholicTV
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