As members of the College of Cardinals joined together in solemn reverence for the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica this morning, a resounding clash of thunder tore through the Roman sky, shattering the mystical silence that enveloped crowds and symbolically igniting the conclave’s official start with lively anticipation.

“As soon as the deacon chanted for us to go in peace, there was this loud, powerful and very audible clap of thunder. Before, the usual noisy, giant crowds at St. Peter's Square had  almost a mystical silence about them, signifying this  truly sacred moment in our Church history,” said Fr. Haig Chahinian, CEO of Salt + Light Media.

When Chahinian and the rest of the congregants went outside into the main piazza, that solitude erupted into a feeling of stark realization that the conclave had officially begun.

Now, all 133 cardinal electors have moved into the residence of Santa Marta, where they will stay until a new pope is elected. Chahinian, in Rome for the assembly, shared the palpable energy among each cardinal as the historic day began.

“You could see on the face of every single cardinal  this deep element of entrusting, as the full leadership of our Church, everything to God,” he said. “All we can do is rejoice that this moment has come and pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the college in this big decision.”

At 4:30 p.m. Rome time, cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel and take the conclave oath. The ceremony will end with the dramatic words in Latin, “extra omnes” (everyone out), with the cardinals then set to hear from 90-year-old Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, chosen by members of the college to offer a meditation.

The meditation is "concerning the grave duty incumbent on them and thus on the need to act with right intention for the good of the Universal Church." Following the meditation, an outline of the rules and expectations of the conclave will take place, after which time the cardinals will move forward with voting on the first ballot.

While smoke from today's first-ballot votes can be anticipated some time after 7 p.m. Rome time, each ballot will largely depend on the speed of the voting process among the 133 electors. To Chahinian, far more important than the amount of time is the outcome the process produces in our next Holy Father.

“ There are several pressing challenges when it comes to the Catholic Church, and so courage and humility are two characteristics that the next pope will absolutely have to embody to continue the legacy of Pope Francis, but also to address the need for evangelization in our digital culture,” he said.

He believes the next pontificate should also be focused on the mission of continuing to expand the horizons and the capabilities by leveraging technology in the best way possible to bring Christ's message to everyone.

More so, perhaps, he believes the next pope will need to be a bridge-builder, a Holy Father open to fostering connections, understandings and unity across various divides, be it culturally or personally.

“They must be someone who can speak to the wounded, hopeful, the youth, the elderly, the East and the West. This bridge building has to be done with clarity, conviction and most importantly with compassion,” he said.

“I do not believe that the Church in this day and age needs a manager; it needs a shepherd. Someone who truly understands the modern world but stays deeply rooted in the Gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ. There is a real longing for that.”

The next Holy Father will be the successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21 after suffering a stroke and heart failure. Chahinian, who had met Pope Francis many times during his papacy, revealed what he sees as the eloquence and beauty during this time of transition, outlined by the fact that it was Pope Francis himself who declared the Jubilee year 2025 to be for pilgrims of hope.

“The hope and the mercy that Pope Francis embodied in celebrating with the entire Church and even non-faithful persons will continue during the conclave and even afterwards. It is a  theological, mystical and providential continuation of Pope Francis' legacy, even through the new pontificate,” he said.

“The new Holy Father will continue to celebrate the Jubilee and will continue to lead pilgrims of hope throughout the world. In that, there is this beautiful image of the Holy Doors being opened by Pope Francis, and we will have those same doors being closed by the next Holy Father later this year.”

By April 24, all Canadian cardinals were present in Rome. These included Toronto's Cardinal Frank Leo and Cardinal Thomas Collins, Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec City and Cardinal Michael Czerny, who works and resides at the Vatican.

Of the 133 electors, only 16 are from North America. Still, Chahinian believes that Canada, through its voice and participation, has much to offer the global Church and the world at large.

“ When I think about Canada, it is a coming together of every single nation, language and culture from around the world in one country. The parallel is the Catholic Church, where everyone comes together in Jesus Christ. Within Canada and throughout each and every diocese, archdiocese and parish, we are able to embody the teachings of Christ and live them within our communities,” he said.

“ The world does look to Canada, and if we are able to truly embody that microcosm from the community level up to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, not with uniformity, but in communion with our Catholic Church, that is what Canada can bring to the table.”

With the conclave officially underway, Chahinian and the rest of the world await the white smoke, the chime of St. Peter’s Basilica’s bells and the appearance of the new pontiff on the basilica balcony, poised to shepherd his newly entrusted flock.