Unexpected Star of the Conclave: A Vatican Seagull

Bird was hanging out atop the roof of the Sistine Chapel while the conclave was going on
Posted May 8, 2025 12:10 PM CDT
Unexpected Star of the Conclave: A Vatican Seagull
A drone used for TV broadcast is attacked by a seagull above St. Peter's Square where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave to elect successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.   (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

While many eyes were fixed squarely on the Sistine Chapel's chimney, awaiting the sign of the new pope or further votes in the conclave below, one little guy had an actual bird's eye view of the proceedings—and he or she attracted some attention. As the AP reports, a certain seagull has been hanging out on the roof of the Sistine Chapel—sometimes sitting atop the chimney, sometimes hobnobbing with a seagull chick on the roof—all in plain view of the faithful down in St. Peter's Square, or those watching via the Vatican's livestream. A seagull, perhaps the same, was even spotted attacking a drone flying over the Sistine. No word if the bird got a face-full of white smoke when the signal went up. The AP anointed it the "Holy See(gull)."

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