by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
VATICAN CITY — St. Peter’s Square here erupted with joy as white smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel on May 8.
“The crowd, the cheers, the running — it was so much intensity, so much excitement,” said Father Anthony Saiki, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Kansas City, Kansas.
“People were pushing in so that way we could get as close as possible,” he continued. “It was just this mad rush.”
When the cardinal protodeacon Dominique Mamberti appeared on St. Peter’s Balcony, the crowd went quiet.
“When the cardinal was about to announce the name, you could hear a pin drop in the square,” said Father Saiki.
Cardinal Mamberti announced the new pope was Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.
“Cardinal Prevost was a new cardinal,” said Father Saiki, “and Cardinal Prevost was an American. And Cardinal Prevost wasn’t on anybody’s radars.
“We were like, ‘What just happened? Did he just say that cardinal from Chicago got elected pope?’”
Father Saiki arrived in Rome on May 5, just two days before the conclave began.
“It was a real spur-of-the-moment idea,” he said. “A friend of mine from the U.K. said, ‘I think I’m going to the conclave.’”
Father Saiki’s friend rented an apartment and said there was an extra room, so he should come along. A third priest also joined them.
Father Saiki lived in Rome from 2017-20, “so, it was kind of a homecoming,” he said.
He spent his first couple days getting reacquainted with the city and enjoying Italian meals.
“The city was so busy,” he said. “Every church was packed, the streets were packed, restaurants were packed.
“I think there was a conclave bump in traffic, but it’s also the Jubilee Year of Hope, so tons of people had pilgrimages planned anyways.”
On May 7, the first day of the conclave, he spent the morning at St. Mary Major, where Pope Francis is buried.
“So, I prayed at his tomb and also prayed at the tomb of Pope St. Leo V,” he said, “asking him to intercede for the cardinals and inspire them as they went to elect a new pope.”
Father Saiki arrived at St. Peter’s Square that afternoon as the cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel for the conclave.
Two days later, when Pope Leo XIV came onto the balcony, Father Saiki soaked in the historic moment.
“I thought his speech was beautiful,” he said. “On the jumbotrons, we could see he had tears in his eyes. He was so human, but at the same time, he’s the pope!
“It was a really beautiful, exciting moment.”
To cap off his trip, Father Saiki spent time with Archbishop-designate Shawn McKnight, who was in Rome for a preplanned pilgrimage.
“It was really beautiful to be with him, to enjoy Rome together, enjoy this moment in the life of the church together,” he said.
The archbishop-designate invited Father Saiki to concelebrate Mass with him in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Altar of the Chair.
“God certainly blessed that moment,” said Father Saiki.
Being surrounded by Catholics from around the world during his time in Rome was powerful.
“It meant a lot to be there and to witness the historic moment,” said Father Saiki, “but also to really engage with the church universal in such a concrete way.”
He hopes that through the papal election Catholics will have “a new excitement for the church and a new recognition of how God walks with the church.”
“I’m really thankful to cardinals who are docile to God,” he said, “and picked this really extraordinary man to be our new Holy Father.
“It’s a moment to celebrate.”
