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White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday, signalling that a new pope has been elected.
The historic decision followed two days of deliberations by 133 cardinals who gathered in a solemn conclave at the Vatican, exactly 16 days after the death of Pope Francis.
A two-thirds majority is required to elect the new pontiff, depending on the total number of cardinals participating in the conclave.
Thousands of faithful and onlookers in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as the smoke confirmed that a two-thirds majority had been reached.
The new pope is expected to appear shortly on the iconic balcony of the basilica to give his first blessing to the world.
Cardinal Protodeacon Mamberti will first emerge to declare the Habemus Papam (“We have a Pope”), followed by the introduction of the pope’s chosen name.
The new pope succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.
His death marked the end of a papacy that broke many precedents, including being the first pope from Latin America, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European to lead the Church since the 8th century.
Although Church tradition holds that any baptized Catholic male may be elected, the papacy has for centuries been filled by a cardinal, making it a closely guarded and prayerful process within the College of Cardinals.
The newly elected pope is expected to confront a complex set of global challenges, from declining church attendance in the West to ongoing calls for reform on issues such as clerical accountability, inclusivity, and championing peace in war-ridden countries.
