The students at Pinecrest Academy, a Catholic school in Forsyth County, excitedly lined the hallways of the school Tuesday morning to be blessed by their new pope: 7-year-old David.
Moments beforehand, the school’s second grade class gathered in the school chapel to hold a mock papal conclave. The boys, all dressed in black and khaki suits to serve as the pope’s bodyguards, voted by paper ballot for the boy they wanted to be their pope while the girls prayed the rosary.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
The school held its conclave the same week the new pope will be chosen in the Vatican, a somber ceremony where cardinals from around the world will gather and begin the process to vote for a pontiff to lead the 1.4 billion people of the Catholic church.
Tuesday’s ceremony was more upbeat. Among Pinecrest Academy’s more than 550 enrolled students, those blessed by young Pope David Levergood got a glimpse of the conclave process and what it means to elect and greet the pope.
“Jesus tells us to be like the little ones — the joy, the excitement, the receptivity," said Sarah Gagnier, the school’s middle and lower school campus director, who led the conclave process. “It’s just been fun to make something memorable for them for their faith.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
The idea came from Pinecrest Academy’s sister school in Detroit, which held a similar mock papal conclave. Other schools across the U.S. have done the same to teach students about the process.
Administrators said they chose the second grade class because they are old enough to grasp the concept, but still very young and cute.
After the students voted, they watched the paper ballots burn in a tin outside and saw the white smoke, an integral part of the ceremony that signifies the selection of the pope.
That’s when the new pontiff appeared, outfit complete with a red shoulder cape, cross necklace and a wooden cane, to the schoolchildren’s cheers.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
‘Holy Father’
David — dressed in a pope outfit complete with a red shoulder cape, cross necklace and a wooden cane — walked up and down the halls of the school to bless his fellow students and teachers. One kindergartner held a baby doll for the pope to kiss.
He and his bodyguards rode on a “popemobile” golf cart to the middle and high school buildings. There, he greeted his older sister, Faith. Blessing everyone was his favorite part of the day, he said.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
“It’s hard being a pope,” David said. “Going around to so many places and blessing so many people.”
At Pinecrest, each classroom is also “adopting” a cardinal from around the world to pray for, said Vivian Heard, the school’s director of communications.
“It’d be really cool if one of the cardinals we’ve been praying for becomes the pope,” she said. “It’s a great way to get the students involved.”
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