Fr William Kambo of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru was in the Vatican when Pope Francis was elected as the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere on the second day of the conclave.
He was elected following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013.
Recalling the historic moment of witnessing the first non-European Pope elected in nearly 1,300 years, Fr Kambo says it was a sight to behold.
Pope Francis with cardinals at the window of St Peter’s Basilica after being elected the 266th Pope at the Vatican on Wednesday night. World leaders welcomed his elevation to lead the 1.2 billion-strong Catholic church. Photo/AFP
“I remember his election in March 2013 as if it were yesterday. I had never attended a papal election before. St. Peter’s Square was packed with people from all over the world. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a priest like me, immense, exciting and humbling,” Fr Kambo recalls in an interview with the Nation .
He continues: “It was humbling to realise that sometimes as a Catholic layperson, priest, nun or brother, you may view the Church in a sectarian way, African, European, Latin but attending such a historic moment reminds you how the Church unites us all across the world.”
The priest was in Rome studying Canon Law for three years when the Pope’s Camerlengo (chamberlain) announced the new pontiff.
“I was lucky to witness the white smoke live for the first time, having only seen it on TV before. The energy among the thousands gathered in St Peter’s Basilica was electric,” says the priest who was ordained in 2002.
What struck him most was how truly global the Church is, saying he saw people from countless countries who had come to witness the historic event. including non Catholics celebrating the moment.
The experience, he says, gave him a broader appreciation of the Church’s universal nature and its richness, rooted in Jesus Christ.
“It dawned on me that the Church is not centered in Europe but it is universal. The worldwide attention it draws during a papal election is incredible. I’ve never seen such a massive media presence for a single event,” he recollects.
Father William Kambo of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, who witnessed the announcement of Pope Francis as the new Pope in the Vatican in 2013, in a past church function in Njoro sub-county, Nakuru County.
Photo credit: Pool
Although he never had a one-on-one meeting with Pope Francis, Fr Kambo was part of a papal audience for international students, where the Pope would occasionally appear and interact with them.
According to him, Pope Francis often attended these forums and spoke freely with international students, especially those from regions where the Catholic faith is rapidly growing.
“I vividly remember in one of those forums Pope Francis emphasising the importance of the universality of the Church, and the mission of the church. He said we are the new point of evangelisation, even in Europe where the church started. He was happy as the faith was fast growing in South America, Africa, Asia and other countries outside Europe,” he recalls.
Pope Francis swings a thurible of incense during an ordination mass on April 25, 2021 at St. Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, during which he is to ordain nine priests for his diocese as bishop of Rome.
Photo credit: Photo | Alberto PIZZOLI | AFP
The priest adds that he was grateful to the Catholic church for sponsoring his studies in Rome, which gave him the rare chance to witness the election of a Pope and be part of papal audiences.
The study period in Rome rejuvenated his faith and deepened his understanding of the Church’s mission and the importance of spreading the Gospel.
“It was nice interacting with international students, as this has contributed to the growth of the church worldwide.”
Pope Francis during a past function.
Photo credit: Vatican Media | AFP
“This is someone I witnessed being unveiled for the first time as Pope. Let us, as Catholics worldwide, unite in prayer for our next shepherd and for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. May God have mercy on him. Let us also pray for the conclave and for the election of a new Pope who will continue the mission Pope Francis began,” he says.
