i was sitting here with john allen and chris cuomo earlier. for the whole world just watching this pipe, this chimney. it s fascinating to watch. freezing cold weather. everybody could have said this is going to be black smoke. there was a sense of interest. it s not just catholics and christians in the crowd. there s a joyousness. in past times a funeral. there was a sadness, obviously. i was here eight years ago. there s a real joy here. there was not a funeral. there s excitement over what direction this means for the church. i talked to many, many people in the past month that i have been here. one thing that is constant from the beginning of the resignation, there s a desire, a hope for something new. what that is, i m not sure. there s really an excitement. i link this, a bit, to the excitement and desire 50 years ago when the second vatican
watching this little hype, this chimney. did you see how many people showed up tonight in the freezing cold weather. everybody could have said this is going to be black smoke. there was a sense of interest. it s not just catholics and which i say chans in the crowd. there s a joyousness. in past times a funeral. there was a sadness, obviously. i was here eight years ago. there s a real joy here. there was not a funeral. there s excitement over what direction this moves for the church. i talked to many, many people in the past month that i have been here. one thing that is constant from the beginning of the resignation, there s a desire, a hope for something new. what that is, i m not sure. there s really an excitement. i link this, a bit, to the excitement and desire 50 years ago when the second vatican council was coming.
rome. about 2:00 in the afternoon in the east coast of the united states. and, again, you look at some of the images, and the crowd, a sea of umbrellas because it is driving rain. not surprising that some here there is a sense of joyousness and excitement and we talked about this before, but in past eight years ago obviously, there has always been the death of the preceding pope. so there was a funeral, a sadness preceding this election. this time around, you don t have a death. you have a retirement. pope benedict is still alive. and so there is much more of a joyful atmosphere, i think. that s right. as large as the crowd in the square was here last night, you were here eight years ago, you remember that massive tidal wave of humanity that rushed through rome in the immediate aftermath of john paul s death. they estimate between 5 million
it s like 180 degrees. something we never experienced in our lifetime. one egyptian put it simple, most people have discovered in the last few days that they are worth something. and this cannot be taken away from them anymore. there s a feeling of euphoria down here. it s relief. it s joyousness. [ horns honking ] i m so excited. i can hardly hear what you re saying, so i m just going to give them a chance to talk. i am very happy now. always the people of egypt are very happy because mubarak is going. i think we will be a country that has freedom.
an absolute feeling of euphoria down here. relief, joyousness. freedom. [ horns honking ] the crowd here is so excited. i can actually hardly hear what you re saying, so i m just going to give them a chance to talk. i am very happy now, and always the people of egypt are very happy because mubarak is going. i think we will be a country that [ chanting ] i think that we have changed the history of not only that of egypt but all over the world. we will rebuilt egypt. i repeat, we will rebuild egypt. i think we make history now. and i think we deserve this and we need this. i think it s the best day ever.