Breaking News: White Smoke Signals Election of New Pope for Catholic Church

Gma News PHILIPPINES
March 14, 2013

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/299165/news/world/breaking-news-white-smoke-signals-election-of-new-pope-for-catholic-church


White smoke rose from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on Thursday 2:04 a.m. PHL time, indicating that Roman Catholic cardinals voting in a secret conclave had elected the successor of Pope Benedict XVI.  The identity of the new pope will be known shortly.

The election came on the first full day of voting by the cardinal electors.

A joyous crowd at St. Peter's Square started cheering and applauding as the first puffs of smoke emerged, braving persistent rain and chill winds to get a glimpse of history.

Cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Tuesday evening and a further two followed on Wednesday morning. They returned to the Sistine Chapel at 4.00 p.m. (11:00 pm PHL) and at 7.05 p.m. (2:05 a.m. Thursday, PHL) the white smoke emerged.

Rituals

Once a new pope has been elected, he is asked if he accepts and by which name he wishes to be known. The ballots are burned with an additive to produce white smoke.

In 2005, the Vatican decided to ring the great bell of St Peter's Basilica as an additional sign that the pope had been chosen. But confusion among the people who were supposed to ring it meant the bell lagged the smoke by about 15 minutes.

Inside, the pope dons his new papal vestments - tailors keep large, medium and small sizes ready - and sits on a throne in the Sistine Chapel to receive the other cardinals who file up to pay homage and swear obedience to the Church's new leader.

The senior cardinal deacon then steps out onto the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica overlooking the square and announces in Latin: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam" (I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope) and reveals the cardinal's name and the name he has chosen as pope.

“Meanwhile, the Pope goes to the Pauline Chapel for a short prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The Pope then goes to the Loggia for the first "Urbi et Orbi" blessing,” according to the Vatican.

The new pope then appears on the balcony to deliver his first public pontifical greeting and bless the crowds in St Peter's Square.

A few days later, the new pope celebrates a Mass that marks the beginning of his ministry. 

In 2005, from the fumata and the ringing of the bells to the Proto-deacon’s announcement about 45 minutes passed and less than 10 minutes later the new Pope appeared and gave his blessing.

Holy smoke

The Vatican revealed on Wednesday the science behind the smoke signals that tell the world whether a pope has been elected.

In the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict, the color of the smoke was sometimes various shades of grey, leading to confusion.

This time, the two emissions of smoke so far have been a billowing black that left no doubt that the cardinals secluded within the Sistine Chapel had failed to elect a pope.

The Vatican said the black smoke was produced by a mixture of potassium perchlorate, sulphur and anthracene, which is a component of coal tar.

The white smoke that announced to the world the election of a new pontiff, was produced by a mixture of potassium chlorate, lactose, and a pine resin which is also known as Greek pitch.

Two stoves have been installed in the frescoed Sistine Chapel where the cardinals are voting and both are attached to a single copper flue leading up to the roof.

One, made of cast iron and used in every conclave since 1939, will be used to burn the cardinals' ballots.

The second stove is an electronic one with a key, a red start button and seven tiny temperature indicator lights. Charges measuring about 25 cm x 15 cm x 7 cm (10 x 6 x 3 inches) are electronically ignited inside it to send out either white or black smoke for around seven minutes.

To improve the draught, the flue is pre-heated with electric current and a fan helps whisk the smoke upwards.

In the 2005 conclave, the Vatican said the great bell of St. Peter's Basilica was to have rung along with the white smoke to assure the waiting crowds that a pope had been elected.

But the person on the roof of St. Peter's Basilica refused to ring the bell for about 15 minutes because he had not received the order directly from his superior.

A book about the Vatican said he received the order from a Swiss Guard and was afraid it might be a hoax.