Bells are ringing in the Vatican and white smokes comes out the Sistine Chapel's chimney announcing that a new pope has been selected. The identity of the new pontiff, chosen on the fourth ballot, is still unknown.
White smoke— new Pope chosen pic.twitter.com/bRuCfEbmHW
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 8, 2025
The crowd gathered in St. Peter's square cheered as the development was announced. The new pope will succeed Pope Francis in leading 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
Overall, 133 cardinals were eligible to vote for the new pope. Italy and the U.S. had the most representative, with 17 and 10, respectively. Most of those voting were chosen by Pope Francis, with NBC News reporting that many may look to continue his progressive legacy. The name chosen will be a significant indicator of his priorities and intended course of action.
The Associated Press, however, said conservative cardinals are probably looking for a more orthodox successor than Francis. The late pontiff was criticized by some figures in the Church for stances such as blessings for same-sex couples. He was even accused of heresy after he allowed divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion.
This is a story in development
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