nuns who prepare their meals didn’t have time to plan a special menu, so there were only two special treats — ice cream and champagne.

Why Cardinal Ratzinger?
Some U.S. cardinals also offered insight about why the vote went to Ratzinger.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan, who worked for years in Rome and at the Vatican, was asked whether the new pope had the support of Catholics in Latin America and Africa.

“Obviously, he must have had support from the Third World,” he responded. Going into the vote, there was much speculation about the possibility of a pope from the developing world, where most Roman Catholics live.

Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali, who worked for more than two decades in Vatican diplomacy, said the decision to choose Ratzinger was not made in the daysWASHINGTON — Colin Allred of Texas brought his pink quartz from the campaign trail. Sharice Davids of Kansas dropped to the floor for a lightning round of push-ups.

And Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, in her lucky jeans, paused to rub a colleague’s bald head for an extra boost of support. (“He’s got a lucky head,” she said later of Max Rose of New York.)

Of everything the 85 newly elected representatives had endured in the last two weeks of congressional orientation — welcoming parties, the maze of Capitol Hill tunnels, leadership elections — the lottery on Friday had perhaps the highest stakes.

Who gets the best office?

Forget coveted committee assignments and leadership positions. The concern of the hour was over who could land a picturesque view, or a spacious lobby to