Sic, Habemus Papam!

I wasn't going to go into the city yesterday because I had a paper to write. I told myself that I wasn't going to go. I was going to sit in my room and write my paper. I was. I really was. I told myself that there wouldn't be white smoke. There was going to be black smoke; I'd be disappointed, and I'd waste a lot of time that should be spent on my paper.

But I went. In spite of my paper, I went into the city.

It was raining when my friend, Grey, and I got to St. Peter's, but it didn't deter us, we pushed and shoved our way to the front, ducking under umbrellas and around people. Then there was no where else to go, so we stopped. We weren't terribly close, but then again, we weren't to far away either. I couldn't see the chimney because of all the umbrellas, but that didn't really matter because it was going to be black smoke anyway. So we stood there for about an hour. Someone's umbrella nearly took my eye out, but other than that, it wasn't terribly exciting. Maybe I should have stayed home and written my paper. Dum de dum de dum.

Then there was a gasp. "Oh," I thought, "Black smoke." But everyone was screaming, Grey grabbed my arm, "It's white, it's white!" He shouted. Then I was screaming too. The crowd surged forward, but we were ready. Elbows out, we charged through the crowd trying to get to the barricade. The bells were ringing, people were shouting, laughing, crying, singing. "Habemus Papam!" We all shouted.

We didn't make it all the way to the barricade, but we were dead center in front of the balcony, so it didn't matter. Even once the crowd could no longer move, the bells kept ringing, and the white smoke kept pouring from the chimney. Everyone was still cheering: "Viva il Papa! Viva! Habemus Papam! Viva!" The noise was deafening, and I was joining in. We sang, laughed, shouted at the people in front to put down their umbrellas and flags. We kept laughing, singing, and shouting. Where was the Pope?

Grey and I were absolutely ecstatic. We were in St. Peter's square when the white smoke went up. We were there, we had a great view. Where was the Pope? We sang along with the Italian seminarians next to us. We shouted, "Viva!" At the tops of our lungs. We sang the Salve Regina. Is someone we know holding that giant American flag? I think so. Where's the pope. I wonder what name he'll choose. Viva! I have no idea. Oh my goodness! We're here! Habemus Papam! We're here. We're going to see the pope. Oh my goodness! Viva! Habemus Papam! Umbrello! Umbrello! Put the umbrella down! I wonder what's taking so long.

The ecstatic happiness of the crowd didn't wane at all in the thirty minutes we waited for the new Papa.  The energy of the entire church seemed concentrated in that one tiny place. Everyone was either laughing or crying with joy, no one could stop. We were all there! We were all going to see our new papa! The emotions were limit less.

Then the lights in the rooms behind the balcony went on. Silencio! Shhh! Shhh! Oh wait, never mind, they just turned the lights on. Oh wait, wait. Never mind. Where is he? I'm so excited! I wonder what name he'll pick. Not Benedict the 17th or Peter the 2nd, I guess. Oh, oh, oh! They're opening the doors! Hurray! Hurray! Silencio! Shhh! Wait, what's that he's saying? Shhh! Who? Cardinal who? Wait, what? Okay, okay. Shhh! Silencio. Hurray! Viva il Papa! What did he say? Who is it? What's his name? Gosh, I didn't realize how bad my Italian was.

Wait, behind us. Wait, I heard them say Jesuit. He's a jesuit. Okay. Bergolio? Who? I have no idea. What's his name? Wait... Francesco! Francesco! Francesco! Francesco? Francis! He chose Francis! Francesco! Francesco! Viva il Papa! Viva! Wait, Francis the what? Goodness, there's never been a Francis before! The first ever Francis! This is crazy! So much history in one semester! What a great time to be in Rome! Francesco! Francesco!

Oh, oh, oh! Here he comes! Hurray! Hurray! Papa! Papa! Papa Francesco! Papa Francesco! Oh, oh, oh, wait. Shhh! Silencio! Silencio! Brothers and Sisters... Uh huh, understood that. What's he saying? What's he saying? Hmm? Oh, Ave Maria, gratia plena... Oh, this is in Italian. Mumble mumble mumble. AMEN! What's he saying? Oh, pray for me. Okay. Okay. Why are we all quiet? Oh! Praying for him. Right. This is the most deafening silence I've ever heard. Now it's time for the blessing, but there's not room to kneel. In nomine Patris et Filio, et Spirito Sancto. AMEN!

Well, there he goes! Goodness! We have a pope! We were here! Here! In St. Peter's Square when it all happened! We definitely picked the right time to come! Oh my goodness, I'm so happy I could burst. I've never been so happy in my whole life!

And that's how it happened. I haven't been able to really sort through my feelings about it yet. I'm just so happy! And so glad I was able to be there. I miss Pope Benedict, I really do, but I love Papa Francesco so much! All I can tell you about the whole election, is that everyone was so happy, so ecstatically happy, and the joy was infectious. I actually saw a conga line of Franciscans dancing through the square, chanting, "Francesco! Francesco! Francesco!" At the top of their lungs. We were all smiling and smiling. And ejaculating about how lucky we were to be there, and how sure we were that it wouldn't be tonight.

After we left the square, we decided that a proper meal was in order, so, of course, we stopped at Habemus Pizza for pizza and a fanta limone before charging the metro to get home. Even the metro was infectiously happy. Little nuns chattering away, young people laughing and joking, and the elderly smiling.

When we got back to campus, the occasion obviously called for champagne, so we broke some out, drinking first to the health of our Pope Emeritus, then to our Papa Francesco. The first pope from the Americas! The exuberance lasted well into the wee hours, then finally we all fell into exhausted, but very happy sleep.