Vatican City – White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel this afternoon, signalling the election of a new Pope following the death of Pope Francis last month.
The bells of St Peter’s Basilica rang out across the square as thousands gathered to witness the historic moment.
Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the papal name Pope Leo XIV.
The senior cardinal deacon announced the new pontiff to the crowd from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica with the traditional Latin declaration “Habemus Papam” (We have a Pope).
An estimated 50,000 people were present in St Peter’s Square to celebrate the announcement, erupting in applause as the new Pope appeared on the balcony to offer his first blessing. Crowds continued to stream into the square, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Church’s new leader.
The Swiss Guard, the Vatican’s ceremonial military corps, took formation on the square to honour Pope Leo XIV, who is expected to deliver a short speech and prayer to the faithful gathered below.
The announcement came after multiple rounds of secret voting by the 133 cardinal-electors, who have been isolated within the Vatican since Wednesday afternoon under strict oaths of secrecy. According to tradition, the ballots were burned in a special furnace, producing white smoke, achieved by mixing chemicals such as potassium chlorate and lactose, to indicate a successful vote.
The conclave began behind closed doors following Pope Francis’s passing, with four rounds of voting scheduled each day. Ballots from two successive rounds are typically burned together unless a new pontiff is chosen, in which case a special mixture signals white smoke.
Pope Leo XIV’s election marks the first successful conclave since Pope Francis was chosen in 2013 after five ballots. The new Pope is expected to shape the Church’s direction in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Further details about Pope Leo XIV’s vision and priorities for the papacy are expected in the coming days as he begins his tenure as spiritual leader to more than 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide.
