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Behold, God’s flock!
A seagull appeared on the roof of the Sistine Chapel just moments before its chimney began billowing white smoke to signal a new pope had been chosen Thursday — sending Catholics wild over the adorable “omen.”
The tiny gray chick was seen with its internet-famous mom on the sacred roof as white smoke poured out, prompting squawks of joy from the crowd at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
When the smoke rose soon after — signaling the College of Cardinals had chosen a successor to Pope Francis — thousands of devoted followers erupted into louder applause and cheers, livestream footage showed.
“A baby seagull got the StPeter’s piazza people get excited and then White Smoke happened!!!” history professor @MBZepedaCortes gushed on X.
Observers called the well-timed avian appearance a total hoot.
“2 minutes and 22 seconds of baby seagull and white smoke!! habemus papam,” one X user wrote.
“The baby seagull on the conclave cam is the only thing holding me together rn,” another declared.
Others chirped that the symbolism was less than heavenly, saying the mama seagull was seen regurgitating food for her little one.
“At the very beginning of the video, a seagull is vomiting a rat so that its baby could have its meal,” wrote one observer. “39 seconds later, Pope is announced.”
“This is certainly an omen. Time will tell us of what kind,” he added.
On Wednesday, seagulls perched on the Sistine Chapel roof stole the show as the world was glued to a live papal conclave camera feed of the chimney.
The feathered flock garnered obsessed fans, with some calling them, “The most watched seagull[s] in existence.”
“I keep thinking that a new pope has been elected because everyone is cheering and clapping every time a seagull turns up. Biggest cheer for the tiny baby gull,” wrote one livestream viewer.
On Thursday, the white smoke appeared just after 6 p.m. local time on the cardinals’ fourth vote following one vote Wednesday and two earlier in the day.
Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost later became the new pope, the first ever from the United States, and took the name Pope Leo XIV.
English (US)