On Thursday, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the Conclave of Cardinals had selected a new Pope.
This follows the death of Pope Francis on April 21, which convened Cardinals in Rome. They participated in multiple rounds of voting, with a total of 133 Cardinals voting until one candidate secured the necessary 89 votes.
From the loggia of St. Peter’s Cathedral, the declaration “Habemus Papam!” rang out as the new Pope made his appearance before a large assembly.
The new Pope stepped forward to address the crowd gathered at the Vatican, leading them in prayer and also revealing the name he would be known by as the head of the Catholic Church.
The atmosphere was electric, with many in the crowd waving flags, some shouting “Viva Il Dad!” and others exclaiming, “Hallelujah!”
Pope Francis, who was 88 at the time of his passing, had been the first Pope from Latin America. His tenure faced criticism due to what some viewed as a liberal agenda. After nine days of mourning post-funeral for Francis, the Cardinals met to elect a successor.
Among those eligible to become Pope are ten Cardinals from the United States.
While some anticipated a prolonged voting process, the Cardinals seemed to quickly align on Francis’ successor.
