White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling the successful election of a new pope by the College of Cardinals.
The announcement comes just over two weeks after the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on April 21. The papal conclave, which began Wednesday, concluded with the selection of a new leader for the Roman Catholic Church in the fourth round of voting — following two inconclusive ballots earlier in the day and one on Wednesday.
A total of 133 cardinals from 70 countries participated in this conclave, making it the largest in Church history. This marks a significant increase from the 115 cardinals from 48 nations who voted in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis.
The name of the new pontiff will be revealed shortly from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where the traditional proclamation “Habemus Papam!” (Latin for “We have a pope!”) will be delivered. A senior cardinal will announce the new pope’s birth name in Latin, followed by the papal name he has chosen. The new pope will then make his first public appearance and deliver his inaugural blessing to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, speaking from the Vatican press office, described the swift election as “a clear sign of the unity of the Church,” noting that the decision came even more quickly than in the previous conclave.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump commented briefly when asked about the event: “I saw the smoke but I haven’t seen the pope,” he told reporters as he left a White House event honoring military mothers.
