White smoke rose from Sistine Chapel signaling a new pope was elected on day two of the conclave.
A new pope has been elected and he is American.
The College of Cardinals have chosen Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, on the evening of May 8 on the third overall vote of the conclave.
Prevost has chosen to take the name Pope Leo XIV.
White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and bells rang out from St. Peterโs Basilica Thursday evening. It signaled that the secret vote among the 133 cardinal electorsโrepresenting dozens of nations from all over the worldโhad reached the necessary two-thirds majority and that the chosen man had accepted the position.
This was the most populous conclave in history, and the cardinals reached their selection on the second day of conclave.
More than an hour later, cheers erupted from the hundreds of thousands of faithful packing the Vaticanโs St. Peterโs Square who heard the proto deaconโs long-awaited Latin declaration, โHabemus Papam!โ which means โWe have a pope,โ confirming to the world that the Roman Catholic Church has a new leader. The Church has been in a period of โsede vacante,โ meaning โthe seat is vacant,โ since Pope Francis died on April 21.
Between the two events, tens of thousands of faithful from all over the world filled St. Peterโs Square and the Via Della Conciliazione beyond the cityโs borders, waving flags, singing โSalve Regina,โ and chanting phrases such as โViva el PapaโโโLong live the Pope.โ
Behind the walls of the Vatican, a specific process was underway. The vote was confirmed, the new pope was formally offered the Throne of St. Peter, and then asked which saintโs name he wishes to take as his papal name.
The new popeโs acceptance of the election marked the immediate end of the conclave โunless he decides otherwise,โ according to the Vatican.
It was at this point that any outsiders who needed to discuss immediate matters, such as the interim Secretary of State and Secretary for Relations with States may enter the Sistine Chapel.
The new pope was taken to a small room next to the Sistine Chapel, the โRoom of Tears,โ to don the white papal vestments for the first time. It is called the โRoom of Tearsโ because the newly appointed pontiff often becomes overwhelmed with emotion.
He then returned to the Sistine Chapel to take his seat for a brief ceremony, in which the senior Cardinal priest read a passage from the Gospel.
The protodeacon offered a prayer for the newly elected pope and each of the cardinals inside took an oath of allegiance to the new supreme pontiff.
The new pope then sang a hymn called the Te Deum, and proceeded to the Loggia, the second story balcony position above the doors of St. Peterโs Basilica, stopping at the Pauline Chapel to pray before the Eucharist.
Byย T.J. Muscaro