April 19, 2005

Black Smoke Signals No Decision on Pope

Black smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel's chimney in the Vatican Monday evening, signaling that the cardinals meeting in secret inside have not yet chosen the next pope to lead the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.

The black smoke meant the 115 voting cardinal "princes" of the church would retire for the night and return to the chapel Tuesday morning for more balloting in their search for a successor to Pope John Paul II. If two morning ballots fail to produce a pope, the cardinals could hold two more votes Tuesday afternoon.
[JP the Great wasn't elected until the 8th vote, ya know...--Jen]
[...]
"I slept well, and now my ideas are clear," French Cardinal Paul Poupard said as he headed into the Mass on Monday. "I have realized the seriousness of the election. The Holy Spirit will do the rest."
[Even though he's French, Cardinal Poupard sounds like a good prelate and he's right.
The MSM is treating this like an American election--too, too tacky!--proving beyond a doubt that nothing is truly sacred to them.
(Live Chimney Cams are the order of the day.)
I'm not a Catholic, but I am an ecumenical Christian and therefore I hope you'll join me in praying that the Holy Spirit indeed will lead the College of Cardinals to pick as holy, pious and loving a pontiff as Pope John Paul II was.--Jen]
[...]
[Cardinal Joseph] Ratzinger drew applause as he asked God to give the church a "a pastor according to his own heart, a pastor who guides us to knowledge in Christ, to his love and to true joy."

Amen, Cardinal Ratzinger!



(The art historian in me can't help but be enraptured by Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling over the place where the College of Cardinals are meeting to vote.
At great expense, which was footed by the Japanese, these frescoes were cleaned a few years ago, revealing the true, gorgeous palate of the Master with shimmering shades of purple, pink, green and orange that had been hidden by centuries of candle smoke soot.)