White Smoke in Vatican: Catholic Church Elects New Pope to Succeed Francis

A new chapter has begun for the Roman Catholic Church. On Thursday evening, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope has been elected to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The moment, steeped in centuries-old tradition, drew jubilant cheers and applause from tens of thousands of faithful and onlookers gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

This historic announcement came after two days of intense deliberations by the College of Cardinals, who gathered in the world’s largest papal conclave in history—133 cardinals representing every continent.

Bound by secrecy under threat of excommunication, their only communication to the outside world was through the symbolic smoke. Earlier smoke signals had been black, indicating inconclusive votes, but on Thursday at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT), the white smoke and ringing bells confirmed a successful election.

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The newly elected pope now steps into the monumental role of shepherding the Church through a time of deep internal reflection and global uncertainty. He succeeds Pope Francis, the Argentine reformer who passed away last month after a transformative 12-year papacy marked by humility, advocacy for the poor, and efforts to modernize the Church’s stance on a range of issues.

The identity of the new pope will be revealed shortly from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where a senior cardinal will deliver the traditional Latin announcement: “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”). The pontiff will then greet the world and deliver his first official blessing, known as “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”).

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Before facing the world, the new pope will spend a solemn moment in the “Room of Tears,” a private chamber where freshly elected pontiffs often allow their emotions to surface. There, he will dress in the papal white cassock for the first time—a powerful symbol of the immense responsibility he now carries.

The challenges ahead are considerable. The new pope inherits a Church still grappling with the lingering wounds of sexual abuse scandals, financial instability within the Vatican, and an increasingly secular global landscape. At the same time, his spiritual and moral voice will be crucial amid ongoing global conflicts, rising inequality, and mounting calls for social justice.

As the Vatican prepares to unveil its 267th pope, Catholics around the world await with hope and prayer—looking to the future, grounded in the traditions of a Church that has stood for over two millennia.