Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Announcement To Include New Pope Name; World Watching Vatican Balcony

Aired March 13, 2013 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Have you called your family to tell them that you're here?

LINCOLN: Yes. Yes. I talked to my mom earlier. And she's pretty jealous.

COOPER: Yes. And what -- how long do you plan on staying here?

JACOB RAZNICK (ph): Oh, until he gets out onto that balcony. Can't miss a picture with him.

COOPER: You guys are -- do you have a long lens or you just going to take it on your iPhone?

RAZNICK: I got a long lens. We're going to make sure we get a picture of this.

COOPER: Have you met a lot of other people from all around the world here? What have they been saying to you?

RAZNICK: Yes. I mean we -- we've come across a lot of people in the world that have been here. It is pretty -- it is pretty interesting to hear what other people have to think about their opinion and what they want and the church and what kind of changes that they're expecting.

COOPER: What sort of things are you hearing from people?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of things we were talking about more modernization, getting more people of our age group involved, like 20- year-olds and around that age group, because we are a big population in the world that is nice to get us involved so that's what a lot of people have been talking about.

COOPER: Have other people expressed to you the people they would like to see, have you been discussing favorites?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not too much. Mostly, yes, mostly talking to other Americans, so they're saying O'Malley or --

COOPER: Do you think there actually could be an American pope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I sure hope so. It would be really nice to see an American come out on to the balcony. It would be a pretty awesome feeling. COOPER: Yes. Do you speak Latin at all? Do you know what he'll be saying?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea what he'll say.

COOPER: But you know habemus papam, we have a pope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the one you got to know.

COOPER: I'm so glad you're here. Thanks so much for talking to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

COOPER: Have fun. We obviously there are people from all around the world here in this crowd at this moment. Those two young men literally draped in American flags. You see people carrying flags from countries all around the world and a lot of Italians pouring in here at second. The crowds are growing just in the last 10 minutes that I've been here. This area around me has really filled up.

Our Becky Anderson is also here in the crowd. Again, we are just 10, 20, 30 minutes or so away from the doors on that balcony opening up and underneath the red curtain, the new pope emerging for the first time and the world will learn who he is, and what his name is going to be.

Becky, are you in the crowd? What are you seeing and hearing?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm about 50 yards away from the barriers at Vatican City. People are pouring up the road here past me. From Ghana, Mexico, France, lots of Italians, one man came up and gave me a huge hug on his bicycle. Just said papa and rode on. It is a real sense of drama here.

A lot of people are walking, but many people are running as you can see. They all want to get as close as they can. They know that they got about what 20 minutes before, as you suggest, we see the new pope emerge on to that balcony, just behind me. How do I describe it?

It's a sense of excitement, a sense of drama. People just very much excited. The point is, I've never seen as many people smiling as I have in the last 25 minutes. It is absolutely remarkable. People now running again as you can see. Chris, back to you.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Becky. We see the Swiss Guards starting to move in, their preparation. We went from all eyes on the chimney to all eyes on the balcony at St. Peter's Basilica here. Let's reset.

If you're joining us, welcome to our viewers in America and around the world. Local time here in Rome, just after 7:30 p.m. we're going to show you what all the excitement is about. White smoke in what we believe to be the fifth ballot for pope here in Rome, the 115 cardinals sent out their signal. Soon after the smoke, we heard the big bell, and that means Catholics have a new pope, 1.2 billion people around the world now look to one man as their spiritual father. Who he is, we're waiting to see. We take you back to live picture there at St. Peter's Square of the excitement growing, people flooding the streets.

Now we're watching the procession that is going to precede the next pope being brought out on to the balcony. That will be done, of course, by Cardinal John Luis Tauran. He has that job of speaking Latin and the little guessing game there will be that he will say the first name within the first sentence or so of what he says in Latin.

You'll hear that name. If we can put it to somebody as a unique name, we'll know who the pope is, otherwise we'll have to wait until he's presented. We're watching the Swiss Guards, getting into position from the time that the smoke comes, traditionally, anywhere from half an hour to 45 minutes before the actual pope is presented.

The reason for that is there is more ritual, more process going on inside. The pope has to be dressed. He has to meet the other 114 cardinals, give them their pledge of loyalty. There is time for prayer and reflection. Then it is time to meet the world.

I'm joined here by John Allen and Father Edward Beck down in St. Peter's Square, a team of people down there, led by Anderson Cooper who is getting a feel for the excitement. We're watching from here as the Swiss Guard starts to assemble, getting ready for the presentation of the pope. How big is the crowd now? How high is the excitement?

COOPER: Yes, you know, it is really building. You see people literally pouring in here by the second, I mean, thousands of people coming in. Every now and then there will be a crowd of young people dancing as they move, try to get a position closer to the balcony.

We talked with some Americans here. You can hear a cheer going up in some parts of the crowd. It really is an incredibly festive atmosphere. People, as I said, from all around the world, I just talked to a woman who lived in New York, but is from Hungary, originally.

Everyone wants to be here. And you see people on their cell phones, they're talking to their loved ones around the world, or encouraging their friends or relatives elsewhere in Rome to try to get here as quickly as possible. Now that the rain has let up, that will encourage even more people to be here.

But it is -- I can tell you all eyes are on the balcony. Nobody wants to miss that moment where the announcement is made, habemus papam, we have a pope. And the pope will emerge out on the stage in his garments. And give his first words as pope, an extraordinary moment.

CUOMO: Those are the words, Anderson. We were waiting for the white smoke now habemus papam. Two Latin words that everybody understands and that will happen first and then the pope will actually be presented after. This is a big moment for many reasons. Certainly big for Catholics because this is just the tradition of having their leader, but the church having a profile around the world, John Allen, this moment in history of people expecting certain types of change, a big challenge, let's say, for this new pope.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN SENIOR VATICAN ANALYST: Yes, that's right. Of course, the pope is not going to lay out the program at this time. But this is, you know, first impressions. This is his first debut on the public stage as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

In 1978, for example, John Paul used that moment to break with centuries, and it used to be the pope stepped out, delivered the blessing and went back inside the Vatican. John Paul, in addition to the blessing, delivered some impromptu remarks for the crowd, including joking with them and saying I apologize if I make some mistakes, and then in our Italian language.

And in fact, his master of ceremonies tried to pull him back because he thought the pope didn't know what to do. John Paul slapped his hand away, which was that first indication the guy was going to break the mold. So it will be very interesting to see how the new pope comports himself here tonight when he steps out and makes the introduction.

CUOMO: So of the people here, sitting on the set now, Father Beck -- what is it like to know that there is someone who is going to be your spiritual father that you are just about to meet?

FATHER EDWARD BECK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I feel such excitement and anticipation. And the hope of something new, no matter who that is. It is going to be something new, someone new. I can't help but feel the Holy Spirit right now. I feel it in this place. I feel it in this square. I feel it inside of me.

So it is a wonderful moment to be a part of and I think whatever church -- whatever direction we take in the church, it is going to be something that we need to follow closely for the time of what will be the future and how will we get there? And whoever steps out on the balcony will be very instrumental in that direction.

CUOMO: What do we know about the different uniforms coming up right now? We saw the Swiss Guard. Who are all the others?

ALLEN: What you saw in front of the Swiss Guard was a band. Remember, the pope was once the head of not only a spiritual leader, but a temporal monarch that governs the papal states. There is a papal band. There still are papal knights who are in back of the pope, with a secular rumor and so on.

Papal nobility, and what you're watching are different representatives of these groups. Centuries old traditions set on these singular highly ceremonial moments in the life of the Vatican come out in full force.

CUOMO: All right, let's get back to Anderson, who is with the crowd -- Anderson. COOPER: Yes, Chris. You know, there are people on set from all around the world. You're from Hungary. You live in New York, but you're from Hungary originally?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm Hungarian.

COOPER: Why did you want to be here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think this is very important to be here to celebrate the new pope.

COOPER: You're only in Rome really for the day, you're changing planes, but you wanted to spend the whole day here just in case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, because it is beautiful here and I would like to know who is the new pope.

COOPER: Did you think you would be here to see the white smoke?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. I want to see everything here today.

COOPER: How many hours have you been here for?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A couple of hours. And I just came here by bus. My husband phoned me by phone to tell me a new pope was elected.

COOPER: Terribly exciting.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is very exciting.

COOPER: You are part of history. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you very much. Chris, that's the sentiment. People are so glad they are here whether they were here for the white smoke or able to be here right now. And, again, I'm looking at more -- hundreds of people are just pouring in. By the location, we'll continue to bring you their reaction throughout the night -- Chris.

CUOMO: All right, Anderson, we're monitoring the situation. It is developing. There is a band playing. It is hard to hear them above all the screaming in the crowd. Let's take a listen and see if we can hear any, tough to make it out. The crowd is making its own music.

If we can show you the camera, leading up that avenue, you see the avenue that is lit there, that is called the road of constellation here, St. Peter's Basilica. People are just flooding down it, if you can watch right now. We have the camera on it.

Right now we're seeing it -- all the different groups that are attached to the Vatican, the security, the nobility, the band. They're all getting ready for the presentation of the new pope. As people are just flooding in to St. Peter's Square.

Now, John Allen, is there any particular process to this? What are we watching unfold here? ALLEN: Well, what we're watching is, of course, on the screen now we're seeing the Swiss Guard. Remember, the Swiss Guard, their task, their mandate is to protect whoever is in charge of the Catholic Church.

So up until 8:00 p.m. local Rome time on February 28th it was Benedict XVI. Then it was the College of Cardinals. Now they have a new pope. You also see a traditional papal band dating back in time when the pope was the secular monarch in Italy playing the Vatican anthem.

CUOMO: Is that what this is?

ALLEN: That's correct.

CUOMO: So we're listening to the Vatican anthem. Let's take a listen. OK, we're watching here as everything gets in -- somebody is speaking right now. Not sure who it is.

ALLEN: It is not Cardinal Tauran quite yet, the one who will make the famous habemus papam announcement.

CUOMO: That's the next big moment, when Cardinal Tauran reads out in Latin, the following, of course, he's going to say habemus papam, but he'll say, I announce with great joy we have a pope. Habemus papam. The imminent and most reverent Lord, cardinal of the holy Roman church, because he'll be the archbishop of Rome, the official duty for the pope, and then he will say his last name, and then he will say who has taken the name and he'll say what name the new pope has taken.

ALLEN: And, of course, just to remind people, we're operating on the assumption that Cardinal Tauran will make the announcement because we're thinking he has not himself been elected. There is the outside possibility and if anyone other than Cardinal Tauran steps out on to the balcony to make the announcement, we'll know.

CUOMO: And, of course, it is important to pay attention to what name will this new pope take? Often it is a signal of the direction of the papacy. Will it be a reforming papacy? A traditionalist one? You'll recall when Pope Benedict took Benedict, he said he did it because of Benedict, the head of western --

ALLEN: And Pope Benedict 1XV, a lot of people thought a man who had been elected as 78 thought that was God's plan for him as well and his papacy lasted eight years.

CUOMO: He was a man of peace. He went against the war at the time.

ALLEN: He was one of the leaders in trying to stop, as it turned out, trying to bring the First World War to an end.

CUOMO: Could we have someone like John Paul I who put two names together to say something very distinct about what his papacy would be and he was a first. ALLEN: The truth is, of course, we could have virtually anything. We're all on pins and needles waiting to see how it is going to play out.

CUOMO: Our viewers, if you're joining us now from America, from around the world, we're waiting for the two most famous words, in Catholicism, in Latin, habemus papam. We're waiting for a cardinal to come out on to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and say that now, the new pope is receiving his vestments, receiving his loyal college of cardinals, the other 114 cardinals who are not pope, having time for prayer in a room of tears, which is named that because of the emotion that comes and nobody more expectant than the huge crowd.

Anderson Cooper is down there with them -- Anderson.

COOPER: Yes, Chris, I'm here with three young Americans. Tell us your names and where you're from.

NICOLE SNYDER: I'm Nicole Snyder. I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

CAROL O'NEILY: I'm Carol O'Neily, from Boulder, Colorado.

MAX TRISTAN: I'm Max Tristan from Los Angeles, California.

COOPER: So what is it like being here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were here when the pope resigned and the new one will be announced soon.

COOPER: You weren't here for the white smoke. How did you find out the information?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our power went out, so we --

COOPER: This is Rome, after all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Her mom texted her, just perfect timing for us.

COOPER: You literally came out of the shower.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Out of the shower.

COOPER: Why was this important for you to be here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went to Catholic school, you have to be here, it is a moment in history, a moment you can never forget it so, yes.

COOPER: And you said your grandparents were here for the last one?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My grandparents were here last time. They witnessed the white smoke and everything. It is a powerful for me to be here again. COOPER: It is extraordinary to be here and see all these people and talk to all the people from all around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is. Even our group at school is very eclectic, all over the country, students from China and just everyone. People were here earlier waving American flags, waving Spanish flags.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're ready to run from class.

COOPER: You were planning to be here over the last several days.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We're all prepping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the teachers know the kids are going to bolt.

COOPER: Is there somebody you would like to see becoming the pope?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would be amazing to see an American, but we'll see.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. What about you guys?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Promising this time. O'Malley and Dolan we would like to see one of those two become pope, but we'll see.

COOPER: You said you're Catholic. Is there something you hoped for the church moving forward?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think definitely important for the pope to realize, like, the modernization of the church and to see that moving forward and what he can do to connect with people, on a deeper level, like today's times. That's what I hope for with the new pope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like to see a more progressive pope, who gets more in tune with our generation. My generation is very in touch with our religion and we like to see that go forward into the future.

COOPER: It is an overwhelming role for whoever becomes pope. Not only do they have to evangelize the faith and be the spokesperson, they have to manage the inner workings of the Vatican and deal with the faithful and all the issues and problems that are plaguing the church.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a lot to be dealt with. The modernization is a huge issue now as well as addressing all the scandals and all that monetary and rest going on. I think it is a big deal, but I think they'll choose the right pope.

COOPER: We talked about the joyful atmosphere here and that's really reflected here. I know you want to get back out into the crowd, appreciate you being with us. Thanks so much. I'm so glad you are here. Chris, back to you.

CUOMO: Anderson, let me ask you something. I still got you, Anderson?

COOPER: Yes.

CUOMO: OK. Great. I wanted to ask you, you've seen so many different types of big events all around the world. How is it being down there with the crowd right now?

COOPER: It is really unlike anything else. I was here eight years ago after the death of the last pope, Pope John Paul II, and obviously that was an extraordinarily moving event, and filled with great sadness. There were people here, so many millions of people who came to Rome in those days who wanted to pay their respects to the last pope.

I remember being in line with people here, they were trying to get in to St. Peter's Basilica for mass, for the pope. People collapsing on the ground because they were waiting in line for so long, people literally exhausted.

And there really is a -- as -- there really is a joyfulness here in the crowd this time that we haven't seen in past times because there hasn't been a death. This does not follow a funeral.

There is not that sense of sadness while many are sad to see Pope Benedict retire, he is still very much alive and, you know, still very much a part of the history of this church. So I think there really is this excitement and joyfulness.

I think everybody comes to this square on this night with different expectations of who they want to see pope, of where they want to see the church go. But everybody is united in their faith and united in their excitement and in the -- the majesty of this moment and to be part of this moment. It is something -- it is an extraordinary thing for those who are here.

CUOMO: The stage is certainly set for something that the Catholic Church is rarely identified with and that is change. It was given change in the form of Pope Benedict resigning to create this moment. They have now elected a new pope on the fifth ballot, which hasn't been done in 100 years, the date, 3/13/13, and in and of itself a little portentous.

And now we wait to see because as we have heard from people consistently here in Rome and all around the world, by the way, people are gathering, St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, other churches and big capitals in countries, people are gathering to see around the world who this new pope will be.

Voices from all over the world have been outspoken about how they're expecting change. This is a big moment, unusual for the Catholic Church to be in a position where people will measure who the new pope is. More by what he does, than at any time certainly in my lifetime.

There is still mystery here to see who will be. We're watching the balcony at St. Peter's. This is a famous scene. People represented from all over the world. We're waiting now for Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran.

He will come out and say the words we want to hear, habemus papam. And then there will be a little bit of a procession that follows it as with everything in Catholicism, ritual to it.

We're not just going to see the pope, John, right? First of all, here, Cardinal Tauran, assuming he's not the pope, he'll make a mention of what his name is --

ALLEN: I think that's a fairly big one. It is huge, but short.

CUOMO: It is huge and significant. Good point, but there will be other cardinals around him, there will be a cross bearer. There is a whole cadre that comes up.

ALLEN: That's right. There's a procession that will lead the pope down. Remember, the Sistine Chapel is at one end of the hall of blessing and then where they celebrate mass in the morning. This balcony is in the middle of the hall.

There will be a procession that makes its way down the Sistine Chapel. You'll see a senior cardinal step out on the balcony first. The other cardinals will be crowded around the -- behind the pope and other sides of him, to show support to show the unanimity of the body of cardinal standing behind their new leader, the cardinal, and 1.2 billion Catholics around the world.

CUOMO: Such a big deal to know who it is, Edward, because we know the name of who this man is, it is going to be a window into what this decision is about, fair?

FATHER EDWARD BECK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It will. In the past, the name the pope picks has traditionally said something about what that pope will be. Will it be a traditionalist or a reformer? Some indication will be given by whatever name this person is given.

I've said before, we tended to say one of the leading Kennedys, -- candidates, Cardinal Escola, is more of a reformer. I don't know that's the perception, mostly in the United States, has. I think because he's an Italian, Cardinal Escola.

Because he's associated with Cardinal Ratzinger and his theology, he's seen as a traditionalist in people's views, even though he's never worked in the Vatican. So that whole idea of traditionalist versus reformer has really paid heavily in this whole leading up to this conclave and --

CUOMO: You're right. Though we ought to say, you and I know both cardinals and many of the other cardinals from the college because over the last several days we have been absorbed by this.

But first, people in the United States will immediately bring the perception one way or the other of whoever -- whichever man gets elected and steps out on to the balcony. I think that creates a window of opportunity for the new pope to present himself to the world. I think people will be paying very careful attention, beginning in a few moments when he makes his debut on the global stage as the leader of the Catholic Church to define himself.

ALLEN: As Chris and others have been saying, there may be more on the line this time, in terms of people's expectations and their hopes for where this new pope might take the church and has been the case for some time.

CUOMO: That is an excellent point. That's certainly the case. While exciting and majestic as this is to watch, no matter what you believe, if you believe in anything at all, the pure fact of the situation is that you can talk about reformer or traditional and draw it up any way you want.

If this new pope of the Catholic Church isn't someone who is immediately identified with a different type of accountability, so that money can go where it is needed to go, to help the poor in the world, the primary mission of the Catholic Church, he is not identified as somebody who is going to take new and bold steps to ensure that the moral standard of Catholicism as it is expressed, it is pure to uphold itself everywhere. This is going to be a very troublesome moment for the Catholic Church.

BECK: Always interesting, Chris, who does the definition -- there is the media of the definition, the church, just today at the press conference, we have Father Lombardi, the issue of Cardinal Mahoney came up and obviously what we heard about yesterday, the big settlement in Los Angeles, that was brought up.

And I was fascinated to see Father Lombardi address it directly and say that we have confidence that this is being dealt with, in the most -- in the best manner of what needs to be dealt with. What did you think of the statement today? Do you think that said we don't take this seriously?

ALLEN: Father Lombardi, the official spokesperson for the Vatican. It was surprising because in the weeks leading up to this, when others were here getting ready for the conclave, were asked about Cardinal Mahoney, their response was whether Cardinal Mahoney participates or not is up to him and I'm not going to pass judgment on his record so certainly a different tone. But, again, all of that is water under the bridge once the new pope steps out on to the balcony and presents himself to the world.

CUOMO: To use a concept very familiar to Catholics, we need to have faith. There has to be faith right now that these cardinals have made the best decision and that means something that brings this church forward.

For viewers just joining us in America and around the world, we have a new pope. Let me show you the smoke, that signaled it to us all, the white smoke. There it is. We knew it was lighter than the smoke we had seen, and then we heard the bell, which means habemus papam, we have a pope. At that moment, people started to flood into St. Peter's Square, flags from all over the world. We're told it can hold 100,000. The square seems full and then the streets that lead to it, the road of constellation, is full three-quarters of the way down as I look behind me.

We have been watching as this Swiss Guard and all of the other beautiful uniforms have come out in assembly, the band, all the different aspects of Vatican power on display here as they await, watching the famous balcony at the basilica, no movement there yet.

We're waiting for the photo deacon Cardinal John-Louis Tauran to come out and give the delivery of habemus papam and say the name of the new pope, of course. If it is anyone but Cardinal Tauran, that mean he's the new pope. We don't expect that, but you never know.

We have correspondents around the world in key cities where the cardinals that have been common in discussion about who could be pope are from. We're getting reaction from the cities coming in slowly as everyone waits. We have to find out who the new pope is before we can get reaction from his home country.

Now we wait and it has been about 25, 30 minutes since we had a pope traditionally between the time we see the smoke and the pope is presented, anywhere from half an hour to 45 minutes. As we absorb the scene here.

REV. EDWARD BECK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Interesting to note that two mothers of the possible contenders here have weighed in. Cardinal Tagle mother, Cardinal Tagle from the Philippines, of course, has said she hopes her son is not elected because she would never see him again.

And Cardinal Schoenborn from Austria has said the same thing. His mother weighed in and said I hope he's not elected, because I'm 92. I can't travel to Rome, and I want him to come home.