VATICAN CITY
GMA News (Philippines)
VATICAN CITY – Italian bishops were so convinced that one of their own would become pope that they sent a congratulatory message to the media thanking God for the election of a prelate from Milan.
The trouble was, the new pope had already been named as Argentinean cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.
The secretary-general of the Italian conference, Monsignor Mariano Crociata, expressed “joy and thanks” to God for the election of Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan in a statement sent to reporters at 8:23 p.m. (3:23 a.m. Phl time) on Wednesday night.
About 10 minutes earlier, Bergoglio had made his first appearance before the crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
At 9:08 p.m. (4:08 a.m. Phl time), the Italian bishops conference sent another statement thanking God for the election of the pope, but this time got the name right.
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