Idaho pilgrims witness historic papal election

Father Cintra, Salt & Light group, unexpectedly arrive in Rome for Conclave, white smoke and papal blessing

A group of approximately 56 pilgrims gather outside the historic Colosseum in Rome in early May during a pilgrimage organized by Salt & Light Radio in Boise. They were unwittingly present for the papal Conclave where Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope. (ICR photo/Deacon Lou Aaron)

By Philip A. Janquart

ICR Assistant Editor

Father Nelson Cintra, parochial vicar of Pope St. John Paul II Parish in Idaho Falls, couldn’t believe the timing.

“Yeah, it could not have been more timely,” he told the Idaho Catholic Register in a May 14 phone interview. The pilgrimage to Italy, organized by Keith Pettyjohn of Salt & Light Radio, had been planned months in advance.

Pope Francis' sudden death came as a shock to the world, and neither Father Cintra nor Deacon “Chef” Lou Aaron of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Boise, who helped coordinate a pilgrimage for 56 other travelers, could not have anticipated being present for the election of a new pope.

On May 8, 2025, more than an hour after the white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square came alive with Vatican marching bands, Swiss Guards, and Italian military units processing through the plaza. The College of Cardinals began appearing on the balconies of St. Peter’s Basilica portico, waving to the crowd. The long-awaited announcement was imminent.

People from diverse backgrounds and languages, representing nations from every continent, stood shoulder to shoulder in the square, all eyes trained on the still-empty central loggia (balcony).

At 6:10 p.m. local time, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti finally emerged and delivered the long-anticipated words: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus papam!” – “I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope!”

The plaza erupted in celebration, with cheers, hugs, and high-fives; even dancing spilled out among the gathered multitude.

Fr. Nelson Cintra, parochial vicar at Pope Saint John Paul II Parish in Idaho Falls, poses with a group of pilgrims furing the papal Conclave in Rome on May 8, just prior to the announcement of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. (ICR photo/Deacon Loue Aaron)

A Pilgrimage Aligned with Providence

Departing Boise on April 28, the group embarked on a 10-day tour of Italy’s most sacred sites. They visited Florence, Siena (home of St. Catherine), Assisi (home of St. Francis), Loreto (site of the Holy House of Mary), Manoppello (shrine of the Holy Face of Jesus), Lanciano (site of a Eucharistic Miracle), and the city of San Giovanni Rotondo (home of St. Padre Pio).

Rome was the final destination, the pilgrims arriving just one day before the conclave began on May 7.

“We were only in Rome three or four days, and we happened to be there the whole span of the conclave, from beginning to end,” said Father Cintra.

“We had (return) flights Friday morning, and it (the Conclave) started on Wednesday, and we thought it would last a few days, so we thought we would miss it,” Father Cintra explained. “A few of us were in St. Peter’s Square Wednesday night for the first round of voting, but that ended with black smoke. We were all there Thursday morning, and that was black smoke. A few of the group were there on Thursday afternoon, and that one was white, so they messaged us.”

When the text was received, most pilgrimage members had settled in for dinner and a live opera performance at a restaurant across town. The message arrived about 10 minutes into the event, sparking a hurried decision.

Racing to Witness History

“I stood up and said, ‘Okay, who wants to book it across town to get over there?’” Father Cintra recalled.

“There were only six or seven of us who wanted to go, so we got up and literally ran across Rome. People were cheering as we passed by, and church bells rang throughout the city. We made it there just 10 or 15 minutes before the cardinal came out and announced, ‘Habemus papam!’”

Father Nelson Cintra, assisted by Deacon Lou Aaron, celebrates Mass in Italy. (Courtesy photo/Lou Aaron)

Father Cintra said he didn’t immediately understand part of the cardinal’s announcement and sought clarification from others nearby.

“I didn’t quite make out the name when he first said it; my Latin isn’t that great, and I was a little confused, so I asked around and they told me, ‘Oh, it’s an American cardinal.’ My first thought was, ‘Nooo, no it’s not. They must not have heard right or something,’ so I dismissed it."

“At the same time, I was getting text messages intermittently,” Father Cintra added. One of the messages suggested he might have encountered the new Pope while studying at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago. That confirmed Cardinal Prevost had been elected.

“It was quite a shock. Then, a few minutes later, Pope Leo XIV came out, addressed us and gave us his first papal blessing.”

The election brought an immediate sense of joy for the pilgrims.

“We were embracing, cheering and celebrating without knowing anything about him,” Father Cintra said. “Hearing the multiple languages represented every few feet definitely highlighted the universality of our Church.”

Theological Reflections on the Papacy

“Our filial piety to the Holy Father ought not be based on our prediction about what kind of pope he will be. That came to the forefront while I was traveling through Italy, and then, when we finally came to Rome, where there was no pope, but also no bishop,” Father Cintra said.

For weeks, the Church had no “unifying human shepherd,” which he described as a disorienting experience, especially during the celebration of the Mass, and particularly in Rome, where the pope also serves as bishop. The celebrant offers prayers for both the Pope and the local bishop at every celebration of the Eucharist.

“I’m saying Mass, but I don’t have a bishop to attach myself to, and to attach the Mass to, so it was very strange,” Father Cintra said. “That helps me understand why, when the cardinal comes out on the balcony and announces that we have a pope, it’s, like, ‘OK, we are no longer sheep without a shepherd, no longer orphans without a spiritual father.’”

The type of pope matters less than the reality that there is a pope, Father Cintra explained.

“The cardinal doesn’t come out and say we have a good pope, or an Italian or an American pope . . . or that we have a pope who is going to heal divisions, or we have a pope who is going to clarify doctrine. That’s not the first thing . . . what’s missing is a pope. The great joy that the cardinal announces (Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum) is simply that ‘We have a pope!’”

He continued, “Our salvation is not grounded on whether we have a good or bad pope, or a holy pope, or anything else. It’s grounded on our relationship with God, our sorrow for our sins, our decision to drop everything to follow Christ, and our growth in virtue. The type of pope we have doesn’t affect any of that.”

Pope Leo XIV leaves the Sistine Chapel. (Courtesy photo)

Issues Pope Leo will face

Father Cintra drew a historical parallel between Pope Leo XIII's pontificate (1878–1903), during which the Church faced the upheaval of the Industrial Revolution, and the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, who faces the challenges of a new kind of revolution, one that is technological.

Technology, such as artificial intelligence, promises connection and fulfillment, but often falls short, Father Cintra said. True fulfillment, he emphasized, comes only from God. Pope Leo will face the challenge of a world that is increasingly reliant upon technology that can help or harm its users.

The Holy Father holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a doctorate in canon law, with a focus on Augustinian leadership. He also served in Peru for over two decades and will bring a wealth of pastoral experience to the pontificate.

“It’s too early to tell, but perhaps we are going to see both of these dimensions (theological and pastoral) in our new Holy Father: a pope who is deeply steeped in Catholic tradition and is thus able to encourage the faithful in learning and practicing our Catholic religion; and a pope who is aware of the difficult issues of our time and is able to shepherd the Catholic Church toward making positive and God-centered contributions,” Father Cintra said.

“Whatever we end up seeing, I know that my filial duty is to love him and to pray for him every day, especially at the altar. This is an exciting time to be Catholic. Habemus Papam!”