All the eyes of the thousands of
faithful in St Peter's Square were fixed Wednesday on the
chimney of the Sistine Chapel awaiting the first smoke that will
signal a new pope has been elected, if white, and if black that
the cardinals in the conclave have not elected a successor to
Francis.
Sitting on the cobblestones, on improvised sheets with raincoats
used until a few hours ago, on their knees with a rosary in
their hands, the faithful who have arrived in St. Peter's Square
and are filling the areas enclosed in the colonnade have had
their eyes fixed on the chimney since the doors of the Sistine
Chapel were closed, waiting to see the first smoke, even if it
is still several minutes away.
The only thing that distracts the gaze of pilgrims, religious
people, tourists and the curious, promptly equipped with
smartphones, is the drone that occasionally flies over the
square, scaring the seagulls. Cinzia, together with her
daughters Eleonora and Alessia, if she could, would not leave
their position in the center of the square, where they arrived
around 2:30 pm, not even this evening. "I would like Tagle as
Pope, as soon as I saw him he warmed my heart", says the woman
expressing her preference. "He is a Jesuit like Pope Francis,
whom we loved, and I would like him to continue what Bergoglio
has put into practice", adds her daughter Alessia who at less
than a year old was picked up by John Paul II, in the church of
the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Rome. While her
sister Eleonora is waiting for the smoke "out of curiosity".
Among the faithful there is also a diocese of Vietnam, among
them there are two priests who in Italy both call themselves
"Vincenzo". They do not let anything slip about which Pope they
would like, "we can't", they reply with a laugh. And there are
several flags on display, tied to the barriers or worn by those
in the square. Among the many: Brazil, Argentina, Poland,
Mexico, United States, as if it were a great international
sports competition.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
