How did the “pink smoke” signal in Rome affect the Pope’s election at the meeting of the Pope?
The Women’s Appointment Conference has been a long-time advocate for the priestess, and this protest was a major step in their campaign.
While Rome was waiting for the new pope, the traditional signal for successful elections was the chimney of the Sistine Church that emitted white smoke. But, another signal was seen on Wednesday – pink smoke. But this is not from the Vatican chimney. Instead, a group of Catholic women radiated pink smoke from the park overlooking St. Peter’s dome in protest against the church’s position on women’s appointments. They demanded that women be allowed to seek priesthood and stressed the need for joining peace within the church.
What is pink smoke?
The use of pink smoke, often associated with the feminist movement, is a intentional choice to draw attention to the issue of women’s appointments. The protests took place on the hill overlooking St. Peter's Dome, a site that provides a stunning backdrop for the demonstrations. The Women’s Appointment Conference has been a long-time advocate for the priestess, and this protest was a major step in their campaign. Pink smoke is a powerful visual statement that emphasizes the determination and passion of the women involved.
Miriam Duignan of the Wijngaards Institute stressed that the Catholic church cannot ignore the voice of women. “We said to the Cardinal, you can’t always ignore 50% of the Catholic population, you can’t go into a locked room and discuss the future of the church, without half the church,” she said. Duignan stressed that the newly elected pope must prioritize the inclusion of women, noting that “whether the people they elect need to be brave enough to properly address the inclusion of women, because so far, even Pope Francis has not.”
Duignan, who has a history of activism, was briefly detained in 2011 for attempting to provide a petition to the Vatican. She believes bringing their protests to the Vatican would lead to similar treatment. “Whenever we go to St. Peter's Square, we're detained by police … and we certainly won't be invited to the meeting,” Duignan said.
No Pope elected in the first round of voting
Meanwhile, the Popes entered the second day as 133 cardinals gathered at Sistine Chapel to elect the new pope. After Wednesday’s first round of votes, smoke surfaced from the chimney, indicating that no candidates received the two-thirds majority they needed. Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square, eagerly awaiting the results. The cardinal will continue to vote, and once the candidates get the necessary vote, White Smoke is expected to mark the election of the new pope.
