We Were Little Pickpockets Growing Up

A LITTLE TEE SISTERS STORY

The Coat Room Heist

One way or another, Leeza and I have always been money makers.

(Disclaimer: maybe don’t follow this particular business idea.)

Back in our Russian, grey, box-shaped public elementary school days, we weren’t the kind of kids who got an allowance. So we got... resourceful.

For context: Russian winters are brutal, so schools had these giant coat rooms. And second graders? Not the most cautious bunch.

They would always leave money in their coat pockets.

Well, one fateful day, little Fena wanted snacks after school. So naturally, she went through every single coat pocket in the room and collected whatever loose change she could find. (Again, we are not endorsing this behavior... but snacks were secured for months.)

We made bank. Snacks and candy were bought after school every day.

Until we moved to the US that is, but that’s for another time.

Moral of the story: don’t steal.

But if you do, apparently Russian second graders never learn because they kept hiding money in those coats.

P.S. We did confess to our mom a few years later. She was... less than impressed.

HOT TOPIC

In Papal News...

As many of you have probably heard, Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88.

While his loss is certainly felt around the world, we like to keep things on the lighter side in this newsletter.

After all, there’s already enough doom and gloom out there.

So instead of lingering in sadness, let’s dive into one of the most mysterious traditions of the Catholic Church: how they pick a new pope.

The process is so intriguing it inspired the award-winning drama The Conclave (which, if you haven’t watched, add it to your list).

Here’s how it goes down:

• Gathering of the Cardinals: 135 cardinals (all under 80) assemble in Rome within 15 to 20 days after the pope's death.

• Seclusion in the Sistine Chapel: The cardinals are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel, cut off from all external communication. This keeps the secrecy and sanctity of the election process.

• Voting Process: Each cardinal writes the name of their chosen candidate on a ballot inscribed with "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" ("I elect as Supreme Pontiff"). A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope. Ballots are cast up to four times daily—two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

• Smoke Signals: After each voting session, the ballots are burned. Black smoke indicates no decision has been made; white smoke signifies that a new pope has been elected.

• Announcement of the New Pope: Once a candidate accepts the election, he chooses a papal name. The senior cardinal deacon then announces "Habemus Papam" ("We have a pope") from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, introducing the new pontiff to the world. ​

There you have it - a process as simple as it is mysteries.

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