Confusion with smoke color during the conclave. Confusion of the faithful
It was the first conclave of such a world character. In 1958, after the departure of Pius XII, cardinals from China, India, Africa and the Soviet Union participated for the first time after the departure of Pius XII. In addition, the world then conquered a relatively new center of global message – television. However, before John XXIII was chosen as the leader of the Catholic Church, false alarms suggesting the election of the pope several times.
Confusion with smoke color during the conclave
The solemn conclave began on Saturday, October 25, 1958. That day at St. Piotr About 200,000 gathered the faithful waiting for white smoke – a symbol meaning the selection of the pope and burning voting cards. On October 26, around noon, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. To the surprise of the gathered, he quickly changed the color to black, And the first shouts of joy gave way to disappointment.
However, at 6pm White smoke appeared again, this time for five minutes. Faithful in St. Peter began to celebrate, waving handkerchiefs and expecting the appearance of a new pope and his first blessing. In connection with the appearance of white smoke, The Vatican’s services were put into a state of readiness. The Palace Guard and the Swiss Guard were called from the barracks and recommended to go to the Basilica of St. Piotr to wait for the name of the new pope.
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Uncertainty and waiting
Marshal of the conclave, Sigismondo Chigi, and the chairman of the conclave procedure, Callori di Vignale, also hurried to welcome the new Holy Father. Still The Pope did not appear. The services were ordered to return to the barracks before they arrived. The Swiss Guard was similarly turned back.
In the report of journalists there were doubts about the color of smoke – they wondered if it was white or gray. The Holy Father was still awaited. In the evening, the Vatican Radio announced that the results are uncertain. Ultimately, it was only two days later, on the morning of October 28, the election of a new pope was announced, who became Angelo Roncalli, taking the name John XXIII.
Smoke staining problems
The reason for confusion with smoke was simple. Paper Voting cards were burned with the addition of wet straw, obtaining black smoke, or dry (white smoke). Often, however, the effect was ambiguous. It even happened that the wet straw did not ignite at all.
In the face of repetitive difficulties, the Vatican decided to look for a better method of dyeing smoke. In 2005, cartridges filled with chemicals began to be used. Black smoke is created thanks to the burning of substances such as potassium perhlorate, antracen (organic carbon compound) and sulfur, and white is the result of combustion of potassium chloran, lactose and calaphony (coniferous resin). Cartridges They are prepared by chemists from the Vatican fire brigade.
It was the cartridge called « Fumo Bianco » that colored smoke on April 19, 2005 after the election of Joseph Ratzinger for the Pope. Even then, however, it was not without doubt. According to the ordinance of John Paul II, apart from white smoke, the election of the pope was to be announced by bells. However, their sound rang only after a few long minutes, which caused confusion among the faithful in St. Piotr, as well as viewers following the event. How will it be this time?
Source: interia.pl/wordpress.com/dziennik.pl
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