When the new Pope is announced and when it overlooks: the first hours, acceptance, « Habemus Papam », « Urbi et orbi »
From the meaning of the « room of tears » to the ritual of dressing, the rituals that accompany the first hours of the new pontiff
« Acceptasne Electionem de te canonice factm in Summum pontificem? » (« You accept your canonical election in Supreme Pontiff? »).
« Quo nomine vis vocari? « (« How do you want to be called? »).
There are two questions, later A valid secret vote of the cardinals gathered in the conclave (133 voters out of 135 are entitled, 18 more than the last of 2013: The white smoke arrived shortly after 6 pm), which precede the dressing with the papal vestments of the successor of Peter, the new bishop of Rome. The elected replies « vocabor » (« I will be called ») and the name chosen. To ask the two questions is the Cardinal Decano and President of the Assembly, in this case Giovanni Battista Re. The elected can also give up and in that case the smoke would be black: the cartridge that generates this color contains sulfur, because of potassium and anthracena.
The history of the smokes
After acceptance, The cards are burned in the stove with a dye that gives a white smoke (chlorate of potassium, lactose and colophysia) to announce outside – also through the sound of the bells – the election of the new pontiff, in this case the 267th successor of Pietro.
The use of smokes to communicate the outcome of the voting was introduced at the beginning of the nineteenth century: at the time, however, the smoke indicated the lack of election, while the absence of smoke indicated that the pope had been chosen. In the twentieth century the distinction between black smoke (no election) and white smoke (election that occurred) was introduced.
A curiosity? In the past it also existed the « yellow smoke », Used as a technical test to verify the correct functioning of the stove before the start of the conclave. This practice was abandoned in 2005 when it was decided to modernize the apparatus for the emission of the fumes.
The « room of tears »
After his proclamation, the neoeletto pontiff retires to the « Tears room»,, in the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel – Theater of one
of the most solemn events of the Church, Commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV Della Rovere and built between 1475 and 1481 – to wear for the first time The white tale and the vestments. Here he finds three clothes of different sizes and chooses the one that best suits him, helped by the master of pontifical ceremonies and other collaborators. In the Lacrimatory room The new Pope can face the responsibility of his choice in silence, which marks the border between the Cardinal life and the papal ministry.
After the dress, he returns to the Sistine and sits on the « chair of Peter », where he is invited to Rereading a step of the Gospel of Matteo On the Petrine Magisterium (Mt 16): «… and I tell you: you are Pietro and on this stone I will build my church and the doors of the underworld will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and everything you tie on to earth will be linked in the skies, and everything you will dissolve on earth will be dissolved in the skies ».
To follow the cardinals approach him to lend him the act of respect and obedience. After the song of the Te deum The conclave has officially finished (Here the Glossary of the Conclave).
« Habemus Papam »
It is up to the Cardinal ProtodiaCono (Dominique Mamberti) give the world the announcement of the new election (Follow the direct here), looking out from the central loggia of the Basilica of San Pietro and pronouncing the famous phrase « Habemus Papam » (« I announce you with great joy: we have a pope! »), with the name chosen by the newly elected. The text is partly inspired by the Gospel of Luca (2,10-11), which reports the words of the angel who announces the birth of Christ to the shepherds.
The blessing « Urbi et orbi »
Immediately after, from the same loggia, the new pontiff makes his first public appearance and gives The solemn blessing « Urbi et orbi « (« To the city of Rome and the world »), which he will then propose at Christmas, Easter and on other particular occasions.
The first words of the popes
Significant, and often prophetic, are also the first words of the elected Pope (who by Pope John Paul II have been pronounced directly from the balcony): some have gone to history as the legendary « If I’m wrong, you will run » by Woytjla or the « Brothers and sisters, good evening | » of Bergoglio, who after Ratzinger’s resignation, was elected after 30 hours and five votes in 2013.
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