The day I became a catholic
It’s been several weeks since Pope Benedict XVI surprised the Catholics and the entire world with his unexpected resignation which according to him was as a result of a deteriorating health. To what was known as the first time in about 600 years, there had to be a successor.
The world followed with keen
interest while foreign and local media sought to find out who could be the
possible successor ordained by God or should I say, elected by the cardinals. Known
to be a historic event added to the fact that there were 10 nominees this time
and almost every country with a representative was somewhat lobbying for its countryman.
According to some reports, Cardinal
Turkson of Ghana was predicted as the “favorite” and people wondered if we would
be seeing a black Pope in the coming days. My answer was maybe. In fact for the
first time I saw myself engrossed in these proceedings as if I was a catholic.
I listened to excerpts of a documentary on Cardinal Turkson on the
BBC a day before the elections; not because I was also sure he was going to be
elected but because I just wanted to follow unfolding events in the holy city,
Rome and BBC gave me just the right updates.
I guess I wasn’t the only one
away in Rome or was I? When the election
started two days ago, almost everyone- whether catholic or not was in one way
or the other interested in knowing the result. It was as if the
world was electing a president and not a pope for the Roman Empire.
Indeed, social networks were not
left out. After the first round of election, the black smoke was seen emerging
from a chimney in the Sistine Chapel and almost everyone tweeted, facebooked
and watsapped about it to signify that a pope hadn't been elected yet. For the first time I had come to know something about
the Catholic Church-black and white smoke. However, the second day of election emitted a white smoke which meant that a pope had finally being decided upon.
White smoke=White Pope. That was
the interpretation I read from others on my facebook wall while I sat browsing in
the “troski” on my way home from work. I quickly tuned in to BBC radio to get
the full details of what was happening around me and of course there was a
white smoke but no one knew it was Cardinal Jorge’s.
Immediately I got home I tuned in
to the BBC channel on multi TV in anticipation to get the final results. My bet wasn’t on Cardinal though but all I said was “let the will of God be
done.” At that moment you could call me sister Farida because in fact I was spiritually
away in Rome.
Finally on my screen, emerged a
76 year old white man clad in a white robe which I presumed was picked from the
ones that had already been sewn (remember I posted that story in the news 360
column on this blog?). Applauds and cheers filled the gathering of the thousands
of people (mostly catholic) that had gathered at the St. Peter's square to meet their 266th holy
man. It was a beautiful sight!
Eventually, It was a full time play and the results had to be announced. It's Argentina! Once again, social media won and within minutes the online freaks painted his name on their walls. I hope by now you know who he is. His
name is Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina. It’s no wonder
he came second to Pope Benedict XVI during the
2005 conclave but to many onlookers, it came as a shock for a pope to be
elected outside Europe.
This was what I wrote on my own facebook wall “Now for those who were lobbying 4 Cardinal
Peter Turkson, do I sense sumtn lyk we've lost a match in a world cup final 2
Argentina?#jux thinking aloud:-)”
Lol, I guess the heat is over now and I hope Pope Francis I as he will now be
called will serve his people well. Admittedly, this has been one historic
event of the year so far. It was nice being a catholic, at least for once. :-)
Here is a video for those of you who didn't follow.
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