White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney this evening, signaling to the world that the Catholic Church has a new pope.
After two days of secretive voting, the 133 cardinals in Vatican City reached the required two-thirds majority, concluding one of the shortest conclaves in recent history.
The Moment in St. Peter’s Square
As the white smoke appeared, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out, and thousands of faithful erupted in cheers in Vatican Square. Television crews and pilgrims from around the world watched as the centuries-old ritual unfolded, waiting for the new pontiff’s first appearance from the iconic balcony above the basilica’s central entrance.
The Election Process
The conclave began Wednesday morning with a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinals, representing 70 countries, were sequestered inside the Sistine Chapel, surrendering their cellphones and casting ballots in rounds until a consensus was reached. Each cardinal wrote the name of his chosen candidate on a ballot, which was then placed in an urn.
The ballots were burned after each round, with chemicals added to produce black smoke for an inconclusive vote and white smoke to announce a successful election.
This year’s conclave was notable for its brevity and for the diversity of the College of Cardinals, reflecting the global nature of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.
Who Is the New Pope?
As of this writing, the Vatican has not yet announced the name of the newly elected pope. The traditional Latin proclamation, “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”), is expected to be delivered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica within the hour. The new pope will then step forward, greet the crowd, and offer his first blessing as the 267th successor to St. Peter.
Among the leading contenders before the vote were Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, both seen as potential heirs to the reformist legacy of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 after more than a decade as pontiff. However, the conclave’s outcome often surprises even seasoned Vatican observers, and the identity of the new pope remains a closely guarded secret until the official announcement.
What Happens Next?
Once the new pope accepts the role and chooses his papal name, he will don the white papal robes and be introduced to the world. The senior cardinal deacon will announce his name, after which the new pontiff will deliver a short address and prayer to the assembled faithful. In the coming days, a formal papal inauguration and the first mass of the new pope will take place in St. Peter’s Square.
A Pivotal Moment for the Church
This transition comes at a time of global uncertainty, with conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and divisions within the West presenting significant challenges for the Catholic Church’s new leader. The world now awaits the first words and actions of the new pope, who will shape the direction of the Church for years to come.
Stay tuned for the official announcement of the new pope’s name and his first message to the world.
