Chapter 22: Quiet Before the Storm
On the third day of the celebration, according to custom, the Pope would go to Miracle Square and host a Grand Blessing. After the blessing, he would personally greet a few lucky selected people. Of course, for the safety of the Pope, these selected lucky people had undergone careful screening.
As the Pope’s new favorite, Ferrante was also involved in the screening process.
Those selected could not be from the nobility, nor could they be unemployed or in debt, and they certainly couldn’t have a criminal record—this alone excluded almost everyone from the lower town.
Ideally, they should be involved in some sort of industry, such as a small factory owner or a Florentine civil servant. At the very least, they should be able to afford a decent-looking outfit and understand basic etiquette, so as not to behave inappropriately in front of the Pope…
On the day of the celebration, Rafael arrived at the square in an open-top carriage. The crowd, thick as a swarm of bees, enthusiastically surrounded the carriage as it moved forward. To prevent the ejected steam from harming people, this carriage used the most primitive horse-drawn power. Two carefully selected beautiful white horses gently stepped on the ground, their manes were carefully braided, and the nuns had placed fresh lily wreaths on them, weaving various colorful flowers into their manes. The fragrance of the flowers made these two loyal animals constantly shake their heads and snort.
The cheering and jubilant people reached out and threw newly picked flowers onto the convoy. Ferrante, standing behind Rafael as a guard, was also covered in petals. He turned his head and sneezed. Rafael, who had been smiling and nodding all the time, occasionally raising his hand to wave, noticed his embarrassment and a genuine smile flashed in his eyes.
The Pope in the carriage perfectly matched people’s imagination of God, as if the portrait hanging on the walls of the Vatican had come to life. He was beautiful, kind, and compassionate, and his every move was elegant and dignified. Wherever his gaze fell, people would burst into wild cheers.
The grand blessing lasted for nearly three hours, and the people’s enthusiasm never waned. Rafael’s legs were numb from standing, and his right leg, which had an old injury, had completely lost all sensation, but he still maintained his usual demeanor and finished his speech calmly.
Thankfully, it didn’t rain today.