Oh, To Be A Fly...

Amid fervent prayers of the faithful
... amid rife and intense speculation as to who is currently in the lead.
... amid bookmakers notching up odds on possible candidates.
... and amid the tussle between the progressives and the conservatives.

Who will be the next Pope?

Oh, to be a fly in the Sistine Chapel, where at this very moment, 115 red-hatted Roman Catholic cardinals with their scarlet sashes and pectoral crosses are huddled in conclave, electing a new Pope.

I love Rennaisance art.

Oh, to be a fly up above, around the ceiling of the Pope's personal chapel. Buzzing around Michelangelo’s bunch of famed frescoes. 600 square yards of rennaisance art, every inch done by his own hand, showing the history of the world before the birth of Jesus.

Creation of Adam

Oh, to be a fly on the Creation of Adam, hovering over their excellencies, heads bowed and brows knitted over the "Eligo in summum pontificem" slips, casting their ballots, one by one, and counting... who will be the next pope?

Oh, to be a fly on the altar wall of Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo himself seems to question the goodness of man. In the Last Judgement where no one is smiling, and Christ’s terrifying figure the dominates the room. Where the dead at the lower left leave their graves and prepare to be judged. Or on the left side of the painting where the righteous, on Christ's right hand ascend to the glories of Heaven. Or on the other side where the wicked are hurled down to Hell where demons wait to torture them. Or with Charon, who waits below to ferry the wicked souls of the damned to Hell.

At the time of posting, Black Smoke, No Pope yet…

Oh, to be a fly in the Sistine Chapel

*sigh* Toughy lucky, little fly.... they’ve swept the bugs.

Guess I'll just have to settle for buzzing around my TV monitor and await a white puff of smoke signalling Habemus Papam!