Seagull steals spotlight during papal conclave proceedings
A seagull perched for an extended period on the roof of the Sistine Chapel near the chimney became the "queen" of social media on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, at the Apostolic Palace, a solemn procession of 133 cardinal electors commenced as they made their way to the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave is being held. Upon entering the chapel, the cardinals took an oath concerning the secrecy of selecting the new pope, and the doors were then closed.
The choice of the new pope will be announced by smoke billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. This is why an image of the chimney was broadcast for over three hours by media outlets worldwide, courtesy of a Vatican-installed camera.
On social media, after the first day of the conclave and the vote, which concluded without the selection of a pope, many comments emerged. The "heroine" turned out to be a Roman seagull that appeared on the chimney. Occasionally, a second seagull joined the scene. At one point, people could even spot an adult seagull with a younger bird.
"We have a winner," and "The world is tensely waiting for the smoke from the chimney guarded by the seagull" are just a few of the comments about the bird’s presence, displayed on millions of televisions, mobile phones, and laptops around the globe.
There were also humorous remarks: "The seagull that was perched there for hours is an actress paid to maintain suspense" or "Habemus seagull."
It was also dubbed "the most watched animal in the world."
