A New Pope Has Been Elected | rssama.com

The 133 cardinals who assembled successful nan Vatican for nan top-secret conclave person chosen a caller leader of nan Roman Catholic Church: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.

Prevost, who is nan first U.S.-born pope, replaces nan precocious Pope Francis, who died astatine property 88 past month.

Plumes of achromatic fume streaming from a Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday signaled that a caller leader of nan Roman Catholic Church ― a religion pinch much than 1 cardinal followers ― had been selected by a two-thirds mostly ballot of nan cardinals, nan church’s astir elder clergy nether nan pope.

Thousands filled nan streets of Vatican City and shouted arsenic Prevost’s sanction was announced from nan balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

This photograph shows achromatic fume rising from nan chinmey of nan Sistine Chapel, signaling that cardinals elected a caller pope during their conclave successful nan Vatican connected May 8, 2025.

ANDREAS SOLARO via Getty Images

The 267th pontiff was selected aft respective rounds of voting complete 2 days. In 2013, it took 5 rounds of voting successful nether 2 days for nan cardinals to take Francis. The fastest conclave lasted only 10 hours successful 1503, while nan longest lasted astir 3 years successful 1268.

The conclave initiated Wednesday greeting section time, opening pinch mass, prayers and oath-taking earlier nan first ballot that evening. Italian media reported that nan Vatican deactivated each compartment telephone signals and activated awesome jammers successful nan area to forestall immoderate surveillance of nan proceedings.

People respond and activity Vatican flags arsenic achromatic fume signals cardinals elected a caller pope during their conclave successful nan Vatican connected May 8, 2025.

GABRIEL BOUYS via Getty Images

Any of nan cardinals could person been named nan adjacent pope ― and technically, religion rules authorities that immoderate Catholic antheral is eligible for nan domiciled ― but only a fistful of cardinals are viewed arsenic nan top contenders. And though location are 252 members of nan College of Cardinals, only those nether 80 are eligible electors. Among nan 133 who voted, nan Argentine-born Francis had appointed 108 of them ― lending him sizable posthumous power connected who’s been chosen arsenic his successor.

This conclave has been nan astir geographically divers 1 successful history, pinch cardinals hailing from 71 countries, including 17 from Africa, 23 from Asia, 37 from nan Americas and 4 from Oceania. The remaining 52 are from Europe, nan birthplace of each pope isolated from Francis for nan past 1,300 years.