A Defining ExperienceRochester student Sasha Tharani ’14 documents the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of a new pope. Tharani, a health policy major, enrolled in a photojournalism course while in Rome in hopes of seeing the city from a different perspective. “I will always remember being abroad in Rome and partaking in these historic occurrences,” she says. “They have, to some extent, defined my experience in Rome.”

On the morning of Feb 11th, the day after Pope Benedict’s XVI resignation, camera crews from all over the world crowd the front of St. Peter’s Basilica looking for the perfect angle to cover the story.

A nun kneels in front of St. Peter’s Basilica and prays among the crowds of tourists that have come to visit the Vatican on Feb 11th.

A John Cabot study abroad student drapes the American flag around her shoulders in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. She is one of many in the square representing her home country. The girls are waiting for the clock to strike 8 p.m. to officially signify the end of Pope Benedict’s XVI term as the head of the catholic church. At 8 p.m. the bells will ring and the Swiss Guard will close the gate representing that there is no pope.

Ten minutes before 8 p.m., a mixed group of people crowd together in a circle and pray in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. Camera crews and members of the press wait behind the bright lights in the background area.

On Tuesday March 12th, camera crews patiently wait for the conclave to make a decision. During this period, the conclave holds two elections a day. After each election smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel. A couple minutes before the release of the decision from the first election, a news reporter stands in position ready to announce whether or not the conclave has chosen a new pope.

News reporters are scattered everywhere throughout the Vatican. All of them are from different countries trying to report on the events to keep their home countries up to date on the historic occurrences.

A religious figure kneels and prays in St. Peter’s Plaza early Tuesday, March 12th. Reporters ask where he is from and what he is doing. I, trying to eavesdrop, hear that he has made a pilgrimage from the States to the Vatican to see who the next Pope will be.

Even the poor weather didn’t hold people back from coming to the Vatican on March 12th to partake in the exciting historic events. The two individuals in the photograph are standing in front of the monitors set up throughout the plaza. They are watching the Cardinals in action and await the decision of the coming elections.

At around 7:05 p.m., I was sitting in class when I heard the overwhelming sounds of bells. To put it honestly, that’s an understatement. Every church bell throughout Rome was ringing. Two classmates and I frantically pulled out our phones to google if there was a new pope. Our teacher, getting aggravated with our lack of attention, called us out and asked what was going on. We half shouted that there was a new pope, packed our bags and left. Once on the street, we were met by crowds running in the direction of the Vatican and joined in. After the mile run, we arrived at the packed St . Peter’s Plaza. Individuals from all over the world were crowded together pushing to get as close as they could to the front barrier. I settled for a spot in the middle just in front of the column in the center of the plaza. I stood there in awe, trying to grasp every single aspect of the moment. Cheers in all different languages flooded my ears; every individual advocating for who they wanted to be the next Pope.

This image was taken in the Plaza a few moments before Pope Francesco parted the red curtains and made his opening remarks as the new Pope.