White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling that the cardinals inside had elected a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
The sight of the smoke sent thousands of pilgrims and curious onlookers in St Peter’s Square into cheers and applause as bells began ringing, marking the election of the Catholic Church’s 267th pope.
Attention now shifts to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, where the new pontiff will appear to succeed Pope Francis, the Argentine reformer who passed away last month after 12 years at the helm of the global Church.
The newly elected pope will introduce himself in Latin, revealing his papal name before addressing the world for the first time. He inherits a monumental task, from voicing moral authority on the global stage to addressing key challenges within the Church, including the ongoing fallout from the sexual abuse scandal and the Vatican’s financial difficulties.
A total of 133 cardinals, representing five continents, gathered for the largest-ever conclave, starting their voting process on Wednesday afternoon.
Bound by an oath of secrecy under threat of excommunication, the cardinals could only signal their progress to the outside world through the smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. On Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon, the smoke was black, causing disappointed sighs from the thousands gathered outside.
However, just after 6 pm (1600 GMT) on Thursday, white smoke emerged, confirming the election of the Catholic Church’s new spiritual leader.
Following tradition, the newly elected pope will enter the Room of Tears, where he can express his emotions freely, before donning the papal cassock for the first time. He will then return to the Sistine Chapel to receive the cardinals’ pledge of obedience.
The pope will then step onto the balcony, joined by a senior cardinal who will announce to the crowd, “Habemus Papem” (“We have a pope”). The new pope will deliver a brief speech and offer his first “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) blessing.
The timing of this election, amid geopolitical uncertainty, was a crucial factor for the cardinals in their decision-making, alongside the ongoing divisions within the Church. Pope Francis, a compassionate reformer focused on migrants and environmental issues, faced opposition from traditionalists who desired a defender of Church doctrine.
About 80% of the cardinal electors were appointed by Pope Francis. The conclave represented the most international assembly of cardinals ever, with electors hailing from 70 countries. However, this international makeup didn’t guarantee a continuation of Francis’ approach.
The big question for the cardinals was whether to choose a pastor or diplomat, a liberal or conservative, and whether to select someone with experience in the Curia, the Vatican’s governing body, or someone from a region where the Catholic faith is thriving.
Before entering the Sistine Chapel, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, urged the electors to choose a leader capable of protecting the unity of the Church. He also called for someone who could lead the Church “at this difficult and complex turning point in history,” with global conflicts and the rise of ultra-nationalist parties intensifying.
The Church is also grappling with the challenges of modernity, facing a decline in the number of priests and increasingly empty pews in the West.
The papal inauguration typically takes place within a week of the election, accompanied by a Mass with political and religious leaders from around the world. The new pope will likely take his first tour of St Peter’s Square in the popemobile, followed by a homily outlining his priorities for the Church.
