Itim na usok ang lumabas mula sa Sistine Chapel chimney nitong Miyerkules ng gabi, Mayo 7, 2025 sa Rome, Italy (Huwebes ng madaling-araw, Mayo 8, 2025, sa Pilipinas).
Malinaw itong pahiwatig na hindi pa nahahalal ang bagong Santo Papa na hahalili kay Pope Francis, na pumanaw sa edad na 88 noong Abril 21, 2025.
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Libu-libong deboto ng Simbahang Katoliko, kabilang ang mga Pilipinong may hawak na watawat ng Pilipinas, ang matiyagang naghintay sa harap ng Sistine Chapel para sa paglabas ng usok.
Napabuntong-hininga sila dahil umasa silang mahahalal na ang papalit kay Pope Francis sa unang pagboto ng College of Cardinals na may 133 na miyembro.
Sina Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, Jose Advincula, at Pablo Virgilio David ang mga kardinal na Pilipinong boboto para sa ika-267 na Santo Papa.
Kasama nila sa pagboto ang mga kardinal ng Katoliko ng limang kontinente na pumasok sa Sistine Chapel noong Miyerkules para sa conclave na maaaring tumagal ng ilang araw.
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THE MASS BEFORE THE CONCLAVE
Isang misa ang idinaos sa St. Peter’s Basilica bago dinala ang mga kardinal sa Sistine Chapel para sa paghahalal nila sa bagong Santo Papa.
Si Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean ng College of Cardinals, ang nag-officiate nito.
Bahagi ng kanyang homily sa ginanap na misa: “The election of the new Pope is not a simple succession of persons, yet it is always the Apostle Peter who returns.
“Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great Pontiffs, will give us a new Pope according to God’s heart for the good of the Church and of humanity.
“Let us pray that God will grant the Church a Pope who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society, characterised by great technological progress but which tends to forget God.
“Today’s world expects much from the Church regarding the safeguarding of those fundamental human and spiritual values without which human coexistence will not be better nor bring good to future generations.
“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the Cardinal electors and help them agree on the Pope that our time needs.”
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