This podcast episode captures that epic, chill-inducing moment when white smoke started billowing out of the Sistine Chapel chimney today. You know what that means…
🎉 We have a Pope! (“Habemus Papam!”) 🎉
So… What’s the Big Deal About White Smoke?
Fr. Dave Heney explains when you see white smoke, it means one man in the world has just gotten at least 89 votes from his fellow cardinals.
🕊️ Instant transformation: The second he says “Yes, I accept,” he’s not just some guy in a red hat anymore… he’s now the Successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ. No ceremony. No applause break. Just a holy “Yes.” ✝️
Okay, picture this: the newly elected Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, was whisked away to a secret sacristy room that has a wardrobe filled with small, medium, and large papal outfits.
He gets vested in the white threads and prepped for the BIG balcony reveal overlooking St. Peter’s Square: yes, the iconic “Habemus Papam” moment you’ve seen on TV or in every Vatican montage ever.
Then, everyone holds their breath as the cardinal deacon announces the new name.
The name matters. Big time.
A Holy Surprise in the Easter Season:
Fr. Dave was surprised it happened so fast. Many thought it would take another day or two.
So, as bells rang and white smoke rose, St. Peter’s Square erupted with joy; honestly, so did all of us watching from our homes (or refreshing Vatican YouTube like crazy).
🛎️ The bells.
👏 The cheering crowds.
💒 The Church’s 267th Pope stepping forward.
✝️ The Chair of St. Peter filled once again.
It’s history in real time. And it’s a holy reminder that the Holy Spirit still moves in the most dramatic and delightful of ways.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A., from Chicago, Illinois, is an American prelate born in Chicago in 1955. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he has served extensively in both the United States and Peru as a missionary, educator, and Church leader. After earning a doctorate in canon law in Rome, he held key roles in formation and ecclesiastical governance in Peru, including judicial vicar and seminary professor. He later served as Prior General of the Augustinians globally. Appointed bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, he went on to become a member of several Vatican congregations. In January 2023, Pope Francis named him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
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