Pope Francis baptized 32 infants at a Vatican ceremony on Sunday.
Formally welcoming the children into the Catholic Church Sunday, Pope Francis poured water from a shell-shaped dish over the heads of the babies held in their mothers’ arms.
Pope Francis baptized 32 infants at a Vatican ceremony
The pontiff pronounced the babies’ names one by one, as parents held their children.
In the same Sistine Chapel last year, Francis was elected as the first Latin American pope. He is the first pope to choose the name Francis. Among the children were two Francescas.
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White smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney has announced to the world that cardinals gathered inside have elected a new Pope to head the Catholic Church.
Crowds in St Peter’s Square cheered and bells rang out as the smoke appeared.
The name of the new Pope is expected to be announced shortly.
The Catholic News Agency said people were running through the streets of Rome, hoping to reach St Peter’s Square in time for the appearance of the new Pope.
A troupe of Swiss Guards in silver helmets and full regalia marched to the Basilica in preparation for the announcement, as military bands played for the onlookers.
After his name is read out, the new Pope will emerge from the loggia overlooking the square to deliver his first speech.
He will have already accepted an invitation to become Pope and the cardinals will have sworn allegiance to him, after which he will have gone to pray alone.
White smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney has announced to the world that cardinals gathered inside have elected a new Pope to head the Catholic Church
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Black smoke has poured from Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that the second and third votes in the Papal election have been inconclusive.
Cardinals have been meeting for a second day to choose a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned last month.
The 115 electors are shut off in Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and a nearby residence until two-thirds agree on a leader for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Further votes will be held this afternoon.
Starting with today, the cardinals will vote four times daily until a single candidate garners a two-thirds majority, at which point the smoke coming from the Sistine Chapel chimney will be white.
Before the conclave began there was no clear frontrunner to replace Pope Benedict.
Black smoke has poured from Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that the second and third votes in the Papal election have been inconclusive
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