Seagull steals spotlight as conclave smoke signal awaits
A seagull sitting for a long time on the roof of the Sistine Chapel near the chimney became the "queen" of social media on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, in the Apostolic Palace, a solemn procession of 133 cardinal electors began as they made their way to the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave was being held. Upon entering the chapel, the cardinals took an oath regarding the secrecy of selecting the new pope, and the doors were closed.
The selection of the new pope will be announced by smoke released from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. This is why the image of the chimney was broadcast for over three hours by media around the world, thanks to a Vatican-installed camera there.
On social media, after the first day of the conclave and the vote, which ended without the selection of a pope, many comments appeared. The "heroine" became a Roman seagull that showed up on the chimney. Sometimes a second seagull joined in. At one point, observers could even see an adult seagull with a young bird.
"We have a winner," and "The world is tensely waiting for the smoke from the chimney guarded by the seagull" were among the comments on screens of millions of television sets, mobile phones, and laptops worldwide.
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 called "the most watched animal in the world."
