White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel at 6:07 p.m. CEST on Thursday, 8 May 2025, signaling that a new pope has been elected by the College of Cardinals, following the death of Pope Francis on 21 April at age 88.
The crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square responded with applause and expectation, as Vatican bells rang and the faithful awaited the traditional Latin announcement—“Habemus Papam”—which will reveal the new pontiff’s name and first public appearance.
Elected on the fourth ballot by a two-thirds majority of the 133 cardinals in conclave, the new pope is now undergoing formal rituals, including the acceptance of his election, selection of a papal name, and preparations to give his first blessing from the balcony overlooking the square.
While the conclave was private, attention in recent days focused on both reform-minded figures such as Philippines' Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and conservative voices like Guinea's Cardinal Robert Sarah, reflecting broader debates within the Church about its future direction.
The next pope inherits a complex legacy: Francis’s papacy emphasized inclusion, social justice, and openness, and his successor will need to balance those priorities with growing calls—particularly from some regions of the Church—for a return to more traditional doctrine.
