BOSTON (WHDH) - Cheers erupted through Vatican City as Pope Leo XIV was elected. He’s the first American pope in history.
It’s a moment millions around the world watched on screens. But Evan Gillis got to see it with his own eyes.
“To watch the first American pope walk out onto that balcony, it felt just really overwhelming and really special,” said Gillis.
Gillis was on a short detour in Rome after a work trip. He had no idea his two day vacation would turn into the experience of a lifetime.
“I made it to the square and I grabbed onto a street sign, and I had a view of everything that was going on, and the energy was electric,” said Gillis. “I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like the whole world was coming together in one unified group.”
He was about a half mile away when the white smoke appeared.
“Everybody started running because the news just hit, and so I was literally running with hoards of people,” said Gillis.
“It was really, really inspiring, and it gave me full body chills,” said Gillis.
Quincy teacher John Guinan was also in the crowd, eager to see a newly elected pope take leadership.
“First, when we see the white smoke, we were really surprised. I think we were expecting it to go another day or two,” said Guinan, of Xaverian Brothers High School. “There was just excitement, the crowd just roared, thousand of people began to flood.”
A unifying moment in the square, filled with strangers from all over the world.
“All of them spoke different languages and none of us were really talking to each other, so it was really special to just be around other people, knowing that we can’t communicate with words but we all feel the same way,” said Gillis.
A memory each of them say, they’ll carry forever.
“It’s been a pretty surreal experience,” said Guinan.
“It’s really changed my life because, it’s changed my perspective on how the world can really come together,” said Gillis.
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