Pope Francis’ successor has been found by the Vatican, with white smoke emerging from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
The confirmation of a new leader of the Catholic Church comes after Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 years old – with his death being confirmed by the Vatican on April 21.
In a solemn statement, Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell expressed “deep sorrow” over the death of “our Holy Father Francis,” announcing that the Bishop of Rome had peacefully passed away at approximately 7:35 a.m., returning “to the home of the Father.”
He said, “His life was wholly devoted to serving the Lord and His Church. He showed us how to live the Gospel with unwavering faith, courage, and boundless compassion especially toward the poor and the marginalized.”
“With deep gratitude for his witness as a true disciple of Jesus Christ, we entrust the soul of Pope Francis to God’s infinite and merciful love, One and Triune,” Farrell concluded.
Following the traditional nine-day mourning period after the passing of Pope Francis, speculation quickly turned to who would succeed him as the leader of the Catholic Church—with eight cardinals emerging as frontrunners.
Initially, the College of Cardinals failed to reach a consensus, signaled by the appearance of black smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. But earlier today (May 8), the long-awaited white smoke finally rose, signaling that a decision had been made.
Crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted into cheers and applause as bells rang out across Vatican City, confirming that a new pope had been chosen to lead the Catholic Church’s estimated 1.39 billion followers worldwide.
How the New Pope Is Chosen
A new pontiff is selected through a centuries-old process called a papal conclave, during which the College of Cardinals senior clergy members from around the globe gather in the Sistine Chapel to cast secret ballots.
Though there are over 240 cardinals worldwide, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. This time, according to Al Jazeera, 138 cardinals met the criteria.
The voting process allows for up to four ballots per day. To be elected, a candidate must secure a two-thirds majority. Once this threshold is met, the ballots are burned with a chemical that produces white smoke signaling to the world that a new pope has been chosen.
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the conclave process typically lasts 15 to 20 days, though this one concluded in just two.
