After two days rounds of ballots, white smoke finally rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday evening, confirming the election of a new head of the Roman Catholic Church and signalling the end of a closely guarded conclave involving 133 cardinal electors.
A jubilant crowd erupted into cheers in St Peter’s Square as the smoke changed from black to white and bells began to toll.
The age-old sign that the Church’s cardinals had reached a decision on their next spiritual leader.
Attention now shifts to the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, where the new pope will soon be presented with his chosen name and deliver his first public message.
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He steps into a role fraught with challenges, including restoring trust after decades of abuse scandals and stabilising the Vatican’s financial systems.
The conclave, comprising cardinals from across five continents, the most diverse in the Church’s history — began voting on Wednesday afternoon.
Bound by strict secrecy under the threat of excommunication, the cardinals communicated progress only through symbolic smoke: black for inconclusive votes, white for success.
Initial signals on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning brought disappointment as dark smoke drifted skyward.
But shortly after 6pm local time, a white plume confirmed that consensus had been reached.
Following tradition, the newly elected pontiff first visits the so-called Room of Tears to collect his thoughts and don papal vestments before returning to the Sistine Chapel for a private moment of allegiance from the cardinals.
Moments later, a senior cardinal will announce “Habemus Papam” — “We have a pope” — to the world, followed by the pope’s inaugural address and his first Urbi et Orbi blessing to the City of Rome and the world.
This papal transition comes at a time of considerable global unrest and internal discord within the Church.
The passing of Pope Francis last month after 12 years has left a leadership vacuum during a period marked by war, populism, and deep divisions over Church doctrine.
Pope Francis, known for his progressive stances on climate change, migration, and social justice, left a mixed legacy.
While many praised his compassionate reforms, others among the clergy viewed his leadership as too radical and unorthodox.
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Notably, around 80 per cent of the current cardinal electors were appointed by Francis himself, shaping a conclave that reflects his vision for a more inclusive, global Church.
Yet that did not guarantee that the new pope would continue in his footsteps.
In the lead-up to the vote, the cardinals were urged by Dean Giovanni Battista Re to select a leader capable of preserving unity and guiding the Church through an era of profound change and turbulence.
The Catholic Church continues to struggle with secularisation, declining vocations in the West, and the challenge of staying relevant in an increasingly modern, pluralistic world.
The formal inauguration mass for the new pope is expected within days, to be attended by dignitaries and faithful from around the globe.
It will be preceded by his first tour of St Peter’s Square in the popemobile and a homily setting out the vision for his papacy.
