White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday, signaling that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.
That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers.
What to know
Who is the new pope? We don’t know yet. The name will be announced soon, when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus papam!” Latin for “We have a pope!” from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.
When will the new pope be announced? There’s no set time for when he will come out but Pope Francis appeared an hour and 20 minutes after white smoke was released.
Which cardinals were the leading contenders? There are never official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals were considered “papabile,” or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope. Some names include Pietro Parolin, who oversaw the conclave, Luis Tagle, dubbed the “Asian Francis,” Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, a conservative cardinal native to the Congo, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, potentially the first Italian pope in decades.
How was the new pope chosen? 135 eligible cardinals participated in a secretive voting process known as “the conclave.” The cardinals had no contact with the outside world, and their votes will not be revealed.
