Cari amici (Dear friends),
Isaac and Maggie here! Our hope was to document more of our Rome experience than we have thus far. We’ve been here 8.5 months, and it feels as though we haven’t stopped moving. When possible, we would like to share our adventures in Rome with you as best as we can, utilizing this platform. What better way to kick this off than to share our experience at the Conclave and Papal Election? (Maybe at some point we’ll backtrack to share about the death and funeral of Pope Francis, the Jubilee Year 2025, and having a baby in Rome - oh my!)
Isaac: Well, here goes nothing. I’m not really the best at writing blog-style or storytelling like my beloved wife, but I think it’s worth writing down this incredible historical experience. I never thought I’d witness a conclave. I’ve been known to watch a “Habemus Papam” video or two, but I never thought I’d see this in person.
The death of a pope is an interesting experience. For me, I was saddened as though I’d lost a grandparent while also feeling relief for the Holy Father that he was no longer suffering. It’s interesting that in a moment of mourning the death of the pope there is also this feeling of hope and anticipation for who will become the next Bishop of Rome. That hope, anticipation, and a bit of nervousness is what I was feeling in the days leading up to the conclave. I heard constantly about several different front runners and tried my best to stay out of the guessing game of correctly naming the cardinals’ choice for the next pontiff. I kept calling to mind Benedict XVI’s–then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger–comment stating that while the Holy Spirit guides the cardinals, it’s ultimately the cardinals who choose the pope.
Maggie: I remember very clearly the election of Pope Francis, when I was a freshman in high school. I remember getting a text saying “White smoke! We have a pope!” I remember running through snow to get to a daily Mass at which his name would be used. I remember celebrating our new shepherd with the Universal Church from my small corner of the world. Later that year, I attended a church camp during which the MC shared her experience of being in St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis was announced as the new supreme pontiff. Her excitement was palpable, her joy stunning. In that moment, I said to myself, “One day, I’m going to be in Rome for a papal election.” I couldn’t have dreamed what all would take place in the coming 12 years leading up to the next papal election.
When the announcement of Pope Francis’ death was made and preparations began for the funeral and then conclave, we knew we needed to essentially camp in St. Peter’s Square once the Conclave began until we saw white smoke. How could we not? We knew it’d be exhausting to cart the boys back and forth from campus to St. Peter’s (probably about an hour each way, when it’s all said and done), but we figured it’d be worth it, and we would regret it if we didn’t make the effort to go.
Pope Watch: Day 1: Ballot 1
Wednesday, May 7, came, and with it came the nerves. We somehow felt, second-hand, the jitters that the cardinal-electors must have been experiencing. The whole world was watching as they swore their oaths of secrecy and as they were locked in the Sistine Chapel for the first night of voting. We made it to St. Peter’s Square, two kiddos in tow, around 6pm. The burning of the optional first ballot was expected around 7pm. We asked Roman what color smoke he thought we’d see that night,—white or black—and he said, “White!” We knew the possibility of white smoke was practically zero, but we didn’t care. We wanted to be there. We wanted to pray with the universal church for the men tasked with making this choice. The excitement in the square was palpable. This was actually happening. Our family gathered with the UMary students and some of the chaplains and we waited for the smoke to fly. And we waited. And waited. And waited. 7pm came and went, 8pm came and went, and eventually darkness covered the square. Still, there was no smoke.
At this point we were all trying to speculate what was going on. Maybe one of the cardinals had a medical emergency. Maybe they decided not to vote on the first night (they can do that) and were enjoying supper while we all waited in the square. Maybe they forgot to burn the ballots. Did they elect a pope on the first ballot? The prevailing thought was that Cardinal Cantalamessa, who was to give the opening reflection, preached longer than the allotted time. We’ll never know exactly why there was a delay.
We had fun watching the stars of the show—the seagulls—come on and off the big screens as they spent time near the chimney. We learned later the Latin phrase for “We have a seagull!” which is “Habemus Larum!” Due to the high volume of people in the square and surrounding area, there was essentially no cellphone service, which allowed for both conversations and silence, rather than mindless scrolling.
Finally, at 9:00pm as the square was getting substantially dark, smoke appeared from out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, but not without drama. Just before the smoke, the screens displaying a close up of the chimney cut to black. As soon as it cut out, smoke poured out of the chimney and everyone was confused and shouting because it was too dark to tell the color without the contrast work of the camera. Finally, the screens reconnected to the live footage of the chimney. Black smoke - no pope.
Maggie: To witness even the black smoke exit the Sistine Chapel was incredible. I kept thinking to myself How am I here right now? Is this really happening?
Pope Watch: Day 2: Ballots 2 & 3
Thursday, May 8, arrived with the anticipation of potentially 4 more ballots during the conclave. We entered the square around 10am, expecting the potential for smoke at 10:30am from the first vote of the day. 10:30 passed without smoke, so the first ballot must have been inconclusive. A little before noon, as if to make up for the delay the night before by being 10 minutes early, black smoke emanated from the chimney. The crowds dispersed, and we headed to lunch with some of the chaplains as the students explored Rome for the first time on their own. Our conversation was casual and enjoyable. It might seem cliche, but anticipating the election of the Holy Father created a kind of communal experience that’s hard to explain. Mostly a sense of hopeful joy.
Following a classic Italian pranzo of burgers and fries from SmashTag (11/10 would recommend), Isaac headed back to pick Roman up from school while Maggie returned to St. Peter’s.
Pope Watch: Day 2: Ballots 4 & 5?
Maggie: Between the hours of 2pm and 5:30pm-ish are not ideal to be in St. Peter’s Square because one is totally exposed to the sun. I had Leo with me in the stroller (no worries, he had his stroller shade, an umbrella, and a portable fan, making him the king of his igloo), so I tried to find an area with some protection from the sun and heat, as well as a clear space of cobblestone for me to sit down to feed him. The space that fit the bill just happened to be at the very front of the second section closest to the basilica. Not bad.
The square was fairly empty (the next opportunity for smoke was 5:30pm-ish), but cell service was either crawling or not functional altogether. This makes for an interesting experience when you’re alone with a baby for 3+ hours.
Around 5pm, I heard a voice behind me call out, “Mama! Mama! We’re here!” Isaac and Roman had just arrived back, bringing with them fresh water and warm bodies to talk to. We wondered if smoke would come at 5:30pm. I asked Roman again what color smoke he thought we’d see that evening, and he said, “Umm, I think it’s gonna be white smoke.”
A little after 6pm, the seagulls were back on the big screens. They had with them a little baby seagull, and it captured the attention of everyone gathered there. It’s as if, however, those seagulls knew something we didn’t. As everyone was cooing at the screens, to our surprise, smoke started to pour out of the chimney. It kept coming and coming…and it was WHITE. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. We couldn’t believe it! We waited a minute or so for the bells to confirm that we did, indeed, have a pope. We watched the upper-left part of the facade of St. Peter’s as the bells tolled to announce the new pope. We had a pope! We had a pope!
The security guards in front of us scrambled to open up the barricade to the sides to allow more people in. For a little over an hour, the square filled in. A couple of bands paraded by our spot on the barricade. The Swiss Guard and branches of the Italian military marched by. It was a massive celebration, and rightfully so. We had a pope!
As we awaited the announcement of who it would be, we spoke with one of the chaplains who was with us. He said, “Whoever it is has just been given the keys to the Kingdom.” That cut me straight to the heart. This was the successor of Peter—really, the Peter of our day. What a joyous occasion for us as his flock, though I’m sure terrifying for him.
A little before 7:15pm, the doors opened on the loggia of St. Peter’s, and Cardinal Dominique Mamberti walked out, along with two men in cassocks and surplices who held the microphone and the script. People in the crowd started to hush each other, and Cardinal Mamberti spoke: “Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum…" (“I announce to you a great joy…”) And then he paused as the crowds cheered, either because we were cheering or for dramatic effect or both. “…Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”) We lost our minds! I couldn’t believe it—how was I hearing these words in person? What great joy penetrated my heart and mind in those moments! We had a pope! We had a pope! Isaac and I kept looking at Leo and Roman saying these things, and Leo just smiled back, while Roman chanted with us “Habemus Papam! Habemus Papam!”
Next, Cardinal Mamberti announced the name of the cardinal. I don’t keep up with these things, so I had no idea who had been elected, other than it wasn’t Cardinal Pizzaballa (that’s a name one remembers). Isaac and one of the chaplains we were with were in shock: “He’s American. We have an American pope.” They kept saying over and over. And the surprises didn’t stop there. “Qui sibi nomen imposuit LEONEM XIV.” He named himself Leo XIV. We had a pope who had the same name as our son! We stood in disbelief as we waited to see our new Holy Father.
After waiting another little bit, the papal flag was brought out to don the loggia, and soon after, the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared in public for the first time as Pope Leo XIV. And the crowd went wild.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
-Matthew 9:36
We now had a shepherd! As he greeted us with his handwritten address, the camera shots that focused in on his face showed his somberness. He had just accepted responsibility for the Universal Church, and you could see the weight on his shoulders through the tears in his eyes and the deep gulps in this throat every few seconds. Our new Holy Father understood what he was undertaking, and he chose to accept it anyway.
He greeted us with the peace of the risen Jesus—it is still Easter, after all! And after his address, he gave us his blessing. How providential it was to be in the square receiving the final public blessing from Pope Francis from the very spot where Pope Leo XIV stood giving his first public blessing as pope. Only God could have orchestrated such an incredibly beautiful sequence of events. Pope Leo XIV disappeared back into the basilica, we took a group picture with the students, and then we said to ourselves, “What next?” How do you wind down after such a momentous occasion? Apparently, we should have been looking for Harry Styles as we departed the square, but I don’t want to talk about it.
We walked a good chunk of the way home because buses weren’t running where we were—there were too many people. It was around 8pm and still light outside on a gorgeous evening. We were in disbelief. We had a pope, and his name was Leo, and we loved him so much already.
Isaac: After lunch, Maggie and Leo returned to St. Peter’s square while I started the journey back to Casaletto to pick up Roman from scuola. I’m grateful to Maggie for staying in St. Peter’s square during the afternoon sun because I didn’t mind my brief moments in the air conditioned apartment with fresh water and a private bathroom.
Just before 6:00pm, the square was starting to fill up. We were slowly being pushed into the front barricade as people began to fill our section. I must admit- the crowds were making me grumpy. However, in maybe one of the most unexpected moments, just after 6:00pm smoke began to pour out of the Sistine Chapel chimney. Cue the chaos. At first, I couldn’t tell what color the smoke was. After a few seconds white smoke was evident. We have a pope. Wow! The square erupted in cheers. People ran to the barricades trying to catch a glimpse of the smoke as the bells of St. Peter’s basilica began to toll.
I couldn’t believe it. I could not believe I was actually present for the election of the pope. I was also shocked by how fast the election took place. Given the time of the smoke, it was likely that he was elected on the fourth ballot meaning it was one of the fastest elections in history.
It's hard to explain the emotions I experienced during these few minutes. Excitement was certainly present. I was also nervous. How did the cardinals elect a new pope so fast? Who is going to step out onto the loggia? But the most powerful emotion I experienced was actually a sense of sorrow and gratitude. Because just a hundred feet away a man had said yes to taking on the burden and giving his life up to lead the Catholic Church. I could not begin to fathom what he was going through. It was then that I pulled Maggie and boys together and we prayed as a family for the new pope. I was moved to tears trying to understand the incredible weight this man placed upon himself out of obedience and love for Christ.
About an hour after the white smoke, after marching bands and various branches of the Italian military and Swiss Guard marched by, we saw the curtain on the loggia move. Out stepped Cardinal Dominique Mamberti trying to conceal a big smile. “Habemus Papam!” We have a pope! As Cardinal Mamberti read the name Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost I turned to Maggie and shouted- “An American! He’s an American!” We were shocked. Like so many others, I was guilty of saying “We’ll never have a Pope from America!”
Next Cardinal Mamberti read his chosen name- Leo XIV. Leo! The name we chose for our son. Incredible! We cheered, laughed, hugged, and cried. We have a pope. An American named Leo. Now, our little Leo had no idea what was happening but he had a pretty big grin on his face. Fast forward to the present and we’ve learned that Pope Leo XIV chose his name for almost identical reasons as us. He looked toward Leo XIII as a reformer and champion for social justice while also meaning courage.
While we waited for Pope Leo XIV to appear on the loggia, one of the chaplains explained the story behind the figures mounted atop St. Peter’s Basilica. 13 statues tower over the square–Christ in the middle, flanked by his apostles (save Peter and Paul) and his cousin, John the Baptist. Beneath the loggia on the facade is a relief of Jesus giving the keys to the kingdom of Heaven to St. Peter. With Peter missing from above, it is thought that his space is reserved for his successor–the man who would, in a few moments, appear on the loggia.
Thank you to Lawrence OP on Flickr for this stunning photograph of the loggia and the relief https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/31085804135
As Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the loggia of St. Peter’s basilica I was speechless. We chanted “Viva il Papa!” And “Leone!” I was moved to see the emotion he displayed as he took in the crowd that gathered to see him. He truly understood the gravity of his choice and the office he now holds. That was powerful for me.
When we arrived home for the night, Roman marched around our apartment chanting, “Habemus Papam! Habemus Papam! Leone! Leone!” What a great joy it was to share this experience as a family and with our community from UMary!
