New Pope Elected in Vatican City

On Thursday, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signifying that the Cardinals had elected a new Pope following the passing of Pope Francis. The bell of St. Peter’s rang out, marking the occasion.

The election unfolded on the first day of voting among 133 Cardinals, who had secluded themselves within the Vatican’s historic walls since Wednesday afternoon.

Excitement filled St. Peter’s Square as the initial puff of smoke appeared from the chapel’s roof, with the Cardinals casting their votes in secrecy.

Details about the new Pope and the name he will choose are expected to be revealed to the public from the balcony of St. Peter’s Cathedral shortly.

The newly elected Pope will then address the crowd and offer a blessing.

Pope Francis died on April 21 after serving for 12 years, during which he led a global church of 1.4 billion followers, striving for modernization, implementing reforms, and fostering dialogue on contentious topics like women’s ordination and inclusivity for LGBT Catholics.

Although no clear successor emerged, Italian Pietro Parolin, who was second under Francis, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines were viewed as potential frontrunners.

Other noteworthy candidates included Jean-marc Abelin from France, Peter Eldo from Hungary, Robert Prible from the United States, Piabattista Pizzabara from Italy, and Pablo Virgilio David from the Philippines.

The Cardinals faced the decision of whether to continue Francis’ approach of openness and reform or select a more conservative leader.

During the Conclave, their only means of communicating with the outside world was through smoke signals – black smoke indicated no Pope had been elected yet.

The Cardinals cast their first significant vote on Wednesday evening, followed by two more on Thursday morning. They returned to the Sistine Chapel at 4 PM (1400 GMT), and at 6:08 PM (1608 GMT), the white smoke signaled the election of a new Pope.

Throughout the Conclave, the Cardinals were isolated, bound by secrecy, with their phones and computers taken away. They stayed in nearby guesthouses for sleeping and meals.

Historically, the average number of votes needed for selection in the past decade has been about 7.2, with Francis himself being elected after five rounds in 2013.