Seagull's visit and white smoke heralded Pope Leo XIV's election
A symbolic scene just before the announcement of the pope's election. During the conclave, a seagull with a chick appeared on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Moments later, the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square saw white smoke.
What do you need to know?
- A seagull appeared on the roof of the Sistine Chapel just before the new pope's election was announced.
- White smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney announced the election of the new pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American in this position.
- The event took place on Thursday after the fourth round of cardinal voting, which ended with the election of Leo XIV as the new pope.
A symbolic scene
Just before the announcement of the new pope, a seagull with a chick appeared on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. The mother began feeding the chick, and a few seconds later, white smoke appeared, a sign that the cardinals gathered at the conclave had chosen a new pope.
This event caused a stir among the gathered faithful. Many of them considered the scene a symbolic sign.
A sign from God or coincidence?
The bird's presence on the roof of the Sistine Chapel became the subject of numerous comments on social media. Some observers saw the seagull's appearance as a sign from God, while others pointed out that seagulls are frequent visitors in St. Peter's Square.
"At first, you can see the seagull feeding the chick," a person in the square pointed out. It was even quickly calculated that exactly 40 seconds later, the white smoke appeared, indicating the new pope's election.
New Pope Leo XIV
On Thursday, after the fourth round of voting, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, announcing the new pope's election. Cardinal Robert Prevost, hailing from Chicago, became the first pope from the USA. He took the name Leo XIV.
