The papal conclave took place this week, and at 6:07 p.m. local time on Thursday, white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope had been elected. After the cardinals voted and their ballots were counted, the ballots were burned and white smoke was produced by pouring chemicals into the fire. Crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square enthusiastically welcomed the results and celebrated.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first American pope in history, will be known as Pope Leo XIV, according to CNN. The new pope made his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at 7:13 p.m. He read briefly to the crowd, then walked inside. Other cardinals appeared cheering shortly after.
Pope Leo XIV reappeared in his papal robes at 7:23 p.m., waving to the thousands in the crowd gathered below before speaking.
Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, was buried at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church voted for a successor in a gathering called a conclave that began Wednesday. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in a papal election. While 135 cardinals fall under this age limit, two withdrew from voting for health reasons, so 133 were eligible to vote.
How to watch the new pope’s appearance
Major news networks are livestreaming the Vatican. Crowds have gathered in St. Peter’s Square outside the Vatican to watch the new head of the Roman Catholic Church make his first appearance as pope.
There was no way to see the actual papal conclave, as it was held in private inside the walls of the Sistine Chapel. The movie Conclave, despite being entertaining and well-reviewed, is a fictionalized version. But major news networks are covering any news about the event.
Perhaps the most interesting way is to visit the Vatican’s own YouTube channel, which is streaming live webcams from St. Peter’s Square in Rome, a large public square outside the Vatican buildings.
Who is the new Pope
Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the first American pope in history, and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. He is the 267th pope.
Other leading candidates who were considered potentially strong candidates for the papacy included Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy, who is known for his diplomatic efforts and alignment with Pope Francis’ vision. Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines was also a prominent figure, known for his advocacy for social justice and poverty alleviation. And Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana was discussed as a possible first African pope in the modern era.
In the film, Ralph Fiennes plays Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who leads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel and is fictional — though it depicts some events from real papal conclaves. In March, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
No, Trump can’t be pope
Anyone who is a baptized Catholic can technically be elected pope, but in reality, the next pope is chosen from the College of Cardinals. Cardinals are senior members of the clergy and are chosen by the pope to serve as his advisers.
Days before Pope Francis’ funeral, US President Donald Trump told reporters, apparently jokingly, “I would like to be pope.” But as a non-Catholic, Trump is not eligible.
Trump also shared an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on his Truthout social media site last week. The official White House account reposted the image on X. Many people didn’t find the image funny.
“We have just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor to St. Peter,” the New York State Catholic Conference wrote on X. “Do not make fun of us.”
Trump’s vice president, J.D. Vance, wrote on X that he had no problem with Trump’s portrayal as the pope. Vance was not raised Catholic but was baptized Catholic in 2019. “As a general rule, I have no problem with people telling jokes,” Vance wrote.