In Romesome of the men who will wear purple in the next conclave They showed one increasingly fluid relationship with the digital universe. The next May 7 The process will begin choose the new Pope who will happen to Franciscowithin the most symbolic enclosure of the Holy Seethe Sistine chapel. But while the previous days pass, the ecosystem of the social networks It also became a Expression space For several of the future voters.
Before the traditional one is heard “Extra omnes” which will announce the absolute closure of doors, some cardinals They used their personal accounts To share details of your daily life, spiritual impressions and even images of your pilgrimage in Rome, taking advantage of the last moments of connection digital.
How to handle their social networks the cardinals
One of them was the Japanese Isao Kikuchiwho uploaded a Selfie in one of the official transport of the Vatican. In the image, several colleagues triggered or reviewed documents. Kikuchi wrote: “Traveling to Santa María la Mayor to pray before the tomb of Pope Francis. ”The gesture summed up the cross between liturgy and technology that crosses this new generation of glitter.
From USAthe archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolanalso used X (former Twitter) to share a kind of spiritual diary. There he published prayers, reflections on the Pope Francis and comments loaded with pastoral warmth. With more than 290,000 followerstheir publications reach thousands without the need for Sunday or formal encyclical homilies.
But Dolan has not been the only protagonist of the so -called “online conclave”. The cardinal Luis Antonio Tagleoriginally from Philippinesalso participate in this trend. With more than 500,000 followers in Facebookinterspersed videos where he sings or dances with theological meditations, a fusion of spirituality and closeness that has had great echo among faithful around the world.
The youngest faces of the Cardenalicio College They have also joined. Américo Manuel, Mykola Bycok and Giorgio Mary They appeared together in an image taken within the Vatican Basilica. The photo circulated with speed on the networks, even surpassing the official ecclesial information channels.
Among the discrete protagonists of this previous one is also Ángel Rossiarchbishop of Cordova. Close to Francisco and formed in tradition IgnacianaRossi is already in Rome, participating in the preparatory meetings. Without looking for prominence, he has shared from his account of Instagram and on the channel of Cordoba archbishopimages of liturgical celebrations and prayers, maintaining a leisurely and reflective tone.
The limits put by the Vatican
He VaticanHowever, he recalled the limits. This week, the spokesman Matteo Bruni He reiterated that no detail of the congregations can be made public. The Apostolic Constitution University Dominici Gregis It forces the cardinals to keep absolute silence. This rule also includes Secretaries, doctors and guards that will be present: Everyone must respect the stealth imposed by tradition and canonical norm.
Despite these warnings, digital publications continue. Social networks have captured intimate moments, spontaneous messages and informal portraits that draw an unprecedented postcard of what historically was a hermetic process.
Shortly, the world of WIFI and the hashtags It will turn off after the Vatican walls. The cell phones will be excluded from the enclosure as a symbol of recollection and full attention to the call of the Holy Spirit. But in the meantime, the spirit of the 21st century filters through the marble cracks, making visible a conclave that is no longer lived only in silence … but also between screens.
Source: Ambito
