White smoke, there is the new pope: here are his first acts from the moment of election to the blessing from the loggia of San Pietro

There was the white smoke. There is the new Pope, that’s what happens now. Says the Constitution Dominici Grecis universes, The text updated by John Paul II which also reports the rules of the Conclavethat “the election occurred canonically, the last of the Cardinal Diaconi calls the secretary of the College of Cardinals in the classroom of the election, the master of the pontifical liturgical celebrations and two ceremonies”. Here the cardinal dean, or the first of the cardinals by order and seniority, as in this case, on behalf of the whole college of voters, asks for the consent of the elect.

Acceptance

Those who have been chosen by the cardinals must say if he accepts and if the answer is positive he is asked which name he has chosen. The character played by Stanley Tucci says in the film Conclave That every cardinal has already chosen his name as a pope. We don’t know if it is really that way, but the times are certainly tight.

The master of papal liturgical celebrations, with the function of notary And having two ceremonies for witnesses, it draws up a document about the acceptance of the new pontiff and the name he hired. In the last second always a cardinal has become Pope. However, it is not obvious therefore, in case it was not, the elected is immediately ordered bishop and immediately becomes “bishop of the Roman church, true pope and head of the episcopal college; The same acquires the full and supreme power over the universal Church, and can exercise it ».

It is at this moment that the cards are burned and the white smoke appears, helped by chemical additions, accompanied by the sound of the bells. At the same time the new pope retires to the so -called Tears room. The pontiff enters here, on one side of the wall with Michelangelo’s universal judgment, to collect in prayer for a few minutes: it is the time for awareness of the incident and the weight that will have to be brought. Also here the new pontiff changes his clothes and his disposal there are several choices because it has happened in the past that there was not a dress suitable for the chosen one as in the case of John XXIII, not high and thin as its predecessor.

Exit from the room, the cardinal voters approach to give the act of respect and obedience to the newly elected supreme pontiff. He then makes himself thanks to God.

The Pope shows himself to the world

From the smoke to the pontiff’s appearance on the loggia of San Pietro they pass from 30 to 60 minutes. The shot of the televisions at this point has already gone widely from the chimney to the facade of the Basilica.

The most famous phrase is that of the announcement on the loggia of the election. Cardinal ProtodiaCono comes out and says: Annunio Vobis Gaudium Magnum: Habemus Papam!. The name of the Cardinal’s baptism follows and then his surname. The name of the electo baptism is in Latin accusative, Karolum in the case of Wojtyla, then his surname in the original language, Bergoglio for Pope Francis, and therefore the chosen name, Benedict XVI for Ratzinger.

At this point the Pope comes out and the world sees him for the first time. He can say a few words and gives the solemn blessing calla city of Rome (Urbi) and in the world (Orb). It ends what is called Vacantis apostolicae sedisthe seat that began with the death of the previous pontiff.

The first days of the pontificate

The name chosen by the Pope is the first indication of the sign of the pontificate. After the blessing he will return to gather with the cardinals to return to Casa Santa Marta. The day after the mass with the cardinal voters in the Sistine Chapel. Among the first solemn acts a mass that is the inauguration ceremony of the pontificate. Over the years, real, heads of state and government have taken part. Subsequently, the Pontiff also takes possession of the Patriarchal Arcibasilica Lateranse.