"Yes We Can," Cathedral Style

As the Appointed One was led to his chair and sat in it for the first time, clearly visible a couple feet away was a cassocked cleric's raised, clenched fist.

No doubt about it, that was The Gesture of the Night.

More in the morning... but for everyone wanting to know the identity of the mysterious lead MC, standing closest to Tim Dolan was no Gothamite nor Milwaukeean, but his high school lockermate and best friend ever since, Msgr Dennis Delaney of St Louis.

Now a pastor in the Gateway City and former rector of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary there, Delaney spent the days before the Big Apple appointment holed up with his pal as the weeklong storm of pre-announcement rumors ground two archdioceses to an effective halt.

Between his lockermate, his "spiritual mother," the B12 shout-out to his new "younger brothers" that began to rouse a demoralized presbyterate, the flood of friends all in from across the globe -- and, of course, his "dear Mom" front and center, 50 other relatives in tow -- the evening was, stem to stern, a family affair... one where the favorite son got a round of applause in the St Pat's pulpit simply on appearing in it.

Lest anyone's curious, no on-demand video's materialized just yet, but you'll have it as soon as it does... Meanwhile, the flip-side brings a 10am presser then, of course, the Main Event four hours later.

Stay tuned for it all, and hope you're enjoying the feed while you do.

PHOTOS: Reuters(1,2)

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