American Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope after more than two-thirds of the cardinals voted for him to succeed the late Francis.
A senior cardinal appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to announce the Chicago-born cardinal had been elected by the Conclave, and that he had taken the name Pope Leo XIV.
The faithful cheered in the Vatican square, waving flags from many countries in celebration at the arrival of the news.
After the death of Argentine Pope Francis, many observers believed the cardinals would elect a European successor.
But if they decided to go back to the Americas, the 69-year-old Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishop from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America, was likely to be the top candidate.
The cardinal, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, also serves as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, where nearly 40 per cent of the world's Catholics reside.
He assumed both these roles in 2023, making him relatively inexperienced, but he was favoured by Pope Francis and was believed to be considered the main “Bergoglian” candidate, as an ally of the late head of the Vatican.
The change in leadership comes at a time of global instability, with the Ukraine war, Gaza conflict, and a divided West among significant challenges that will put the calibre of his leadership into sharp focus.
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Key Points
- Robert Prevost is the new Pope
- Who is the American cardinal named Pope Leo XIV?
- White smoke appears as new Pope elected
- Conclave elects 'Pope our time needs'
- Crowds cheer and celebrate with flags of the world seen in St Peter's Square
First image of the new Pope Robert Prevost
18:27
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Rebecca Whittaker
Papal name historically signifies strength during crisis, Catholic commentator says
18:24
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Rebecca Whittaker
The election of American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has come as a surprise, Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson said.“
It seems likely to be a continuation of Francis’s liberalisation,” he told The Independent.
As for his choice of Papal name, Tomlinson said it had a long history.
“The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who is going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically,” he said.
‘Dark horse’ American cardinal succeeds Pope Francis
18:23
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Rebecca Whittaker
American Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope, succeeding the late Francis as Leo XIV.
After the death of Argentine Pope Francis, many observers believed the cardinals would elect a European successor.
But cardinals voting in the conclave at the Vatican decided to go back to the Americas, with the 69-year-old Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishop from Chicago, the largest Archdiocese in North America.
Read more here:
Robert Prevost has been elected the first American pope
18:21
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Rebecca Whittaker
Robert Prevost has been elected the first American pope in history and will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
He will now deliver his first public address and blessing to the gathered crowds in St Peter's Square.
BREAKING: American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been announced as the new Pope
18:17
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Rebecca Whittaker
The new Pope has been revealed as cardinal Robert Francis Prevost after being elected following the secretive conclave meeting in the Vatican.
Catholic commentator says new Pope faces major challenges
18:03
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Rebecca Whittaker
Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson said whoever the new pope is, they will have several major issues to deal with.
“One of the big issues is still cleaning up the whole issue of abuse,” he told The Independent.
While smaller dioceses have done work on the issue of child sexual abuse within the Church, Tomlinson said there was still plenty of work for the Vatican to do there.Another issue is creating a more unified church, which Tomlinson said was pulled apart by social media.
The third key issue is geopolitics.“Inevitably, that is going to be massive, we’re entering a very different world,” he said.
Tomlinson said he hoped the new Pope was Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who is the current Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, as Tomlinson said he had a great ability to bring together people of different backgrounds.
The reason why white smoke is used to announce a new Pope
17:55
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Rebecca Whittaker
For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope.
“Conclave” means “with a key”, indicating the cardinal-electors are locked up with a key to conduct their deliberations.
With no direct communication to the outside world, a key feature of the papal election process is the use of smoke to signal the result of ballots and to announce the election of a new pope.
Here Clare Johnson explains where the tradition began:
What the new Pope’s name will say about their plans for the Catholic Church
17:46
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Rebecca Whittaker
The first hint of the next pope's direction will come with the name he chooses.
After the traditional announcement of "Habemus Papam" – "We have a pope" – from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the new pontiff's baptismal name is revealed, followed by the all-important papal name, laden with symbolic meaning.
Read more by Colleen Barry here:
Swiss guards march as new pope is elected
17:44
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Rebecca Whittaker
Various marching groups can be seen in the Vatican – Carabinieri (white & red hats), Swiss Guard (blue, yellow, red uniforms) and a marching band
Crowds cheer and celebrate with flags of the world seen in St Peter's Square
17:38
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Rebecca Whittaker
Conclave elects 'Pope our time needs'
17:33
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Rebecca Whittaker
Speaking to cardinals during a Vatican mass on Wednesday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said the election of the new pope “is not a simple succession of persons”.
He urged cardinals to pray, for a Pope “who knows how best to awaken the consciences of all and the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society.”
“May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede with her maternal intercession, so that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the minds of the Cardinal electors and help them agree on the Pope that our time needs,” he said.
Pictured: People celebrate in St Peter’s Square
17:25
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Rebecca Whittaker
Now a new Pope has been chosen, what will happen?
17:23
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Rebecca Whittaker
The cardinals need to reach a two-thirds majority to elect a new Pope.
The selected cardinal is asked if he accepts the role, and once he says yes, he must choose a papal name.
Then, he is taken to a small chamber off the Sistine Chapel called the "Room of Tears", named for the emotional weight of the responsibility ahead, where he will put on the white papal vestments.
Immediately after that, the new Pope is introduced to the world from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica with the proclamation in Latin: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!" ("I bring you tidings of great joy: We have a pope!")That will be immediately followed by the revelation of his baptismal name, in Latin, followed by the papal name he has chosen.
What happens next?
17:18
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Rebecca Whittaker
White smoke has appeared, and now the new pontiff will normally appear on the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square in the next hour.
The new pope, whose name we do not know yet, is now being led to a small room next to the Sistine Chapel where he will put on the white papal robes.
The senior cardinal will soon confirm the decision.
Crowds cheer as new Pope elected
17:13
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Rebecca Whittaker
A new pope has been elected following the secretive conclave meeting in the Vatican.
White smoke has poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling that the 133 cardinals have agreed with at least a two-thirds majority on who should be the new leader of the Catholic Church.
Breaking: White smoke pours out of Sistine Chapel
17:10
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Rebecca Whittaker
White smoke pours out of Sistine Chapel meaning we have anew Pope.
No white smoke seen at Sistine Chapel
17:07
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Rebecca Whittaker
Results of the fourth conclave vote were expected at about 17:30 local time (16:30 BST).
However, no white smoke has been seen yet and we have no way of knowing what is going on inside the Sistine Chapel.
If this ballot is unsuccessful there will be no black smoke saying a pope has not been chosen this time.
But later this evening there will be a final vote at about 19:00 local time (18:00 BST).
Pictures from St. Peter's square
16:55
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Rebeca Whittaker
Television crews working at St. Peter's square wait to see smoke pour from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel where 133 cardinals are gathering on the second day of the conclave to elect a successor to late Pope Francis, at the Vatican.
Public hopes a new Pope will be chosen tonight
16:40
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Rebecca Whittaker
Large school groups joined the people awaiting the outcome in St. Peter's Square.
They blended in with people participating in preplanned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.
"The wait is marvellous!" said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.
"We are hoping for the white smoke tonight," said Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina.
He said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine pope's pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis' image.
"Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didn't do enough. We'll see if the next one will be able to do more," Deget said from the piazza.
The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis.
He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he'd be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists."
He has clear ideas, not much ideology. He's a direct, intelligent and respectful man," Bogataj said from the square.
"Most of all, he's agile."
'I hope by this evening, returning to Rome, I'll find white smoke,' says cardinal
16:21
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Rebecca Whittaker
As the world waits and watches the Sistine Chapel chimney there are high hopes a pope will be chosen soon.
"I hope by this evening, returning to Rome, I'll find white smoke," said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals who presided over the Mass before the conclave.
Re is not participating in the balloting because only cardinals under 80 are eligible to cast votes.
Re, who was quoted by Italian media as speaking Thursday in Pompeii, said he was certain the 133 cardinals would elect "the pope that the church and world need today."
What happens if there is no signal this afternoon?
16:10
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Rachel Clun
Smoke will only appear from the Sistine Chapel chimney within the next half an hour or so if the conclave has elected a Pope.
If they have chosen, white smoke will emerge from the Sistine Chapel chimney, and not too long after that the next Pope will be revealed on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
If there is no smoke, it means the cardinals have failed to reach a two-thirds majority to choose a new Pope.
After their first round of afternoon votes is tallied and confirmed, they will immediately begin the second round of voting.
Then, around 6pm British time, the conclave will burn all the ballots and send out a smoke signal: white, a pope has been elected, or black, meaning they must continue their deliberations tomorrow.
In pictures: Faithful remain in St Peter's Square for sign from conclave
15:38
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Rachel Clun
Young people, nuns, tourists and thousands more have continued to gather in St Peter’s Square, hoping to be there when the conclave sends out white smoke to signal they have elected a new Pope.
The Vatican News estimates 15,000 have gathered in the square to watch the Sistine Chapel chimney, and to hopefully catch a glipse of the next Pope when he is revealed on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
How the conclave ballots are counted
15:22
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Rachel Clun
A little earlier, we explained how the cardinal electors cast their ballots. After that, they must be counted, and this is how that process works.
Three cardinals are nominated as scrutineers. Once the votes have been cast, one of the scrutineers shakes the chalice containing the ballots, and another then counts them and places them one by one into a separate empty container, The Vatican News reports.
All three scrutineers then sit at a table in front of the altar. The first reads the name written on the ballot, and passes it to the next scrutineer, who confirms the name before passing it to the third, who then reads the name aloud. The vote is then recorded.
To elect a new Pope, at least 89 of those ballots must name the same person.
Once this process is complete, the votes are tallied, and then the third scrutineer uses a needle and thread to string the ballots together.
The votes are verified by revisers, and then, before the cardinals leave the chapel, the votes are burned.
Cardinals return from lunch for third vote of the day
15:07
,
Rachel Clun
The conclave’s lunch break is officially over, and shortly the 133 cardinals will begin their third vote of the day.
Thousands have gathered in St Peter’s Square to watch the Sistine Chapel chimney for a smoke signal - if the cardinals elect a Pope in this round of voting, white smoke will billow from the chimney around 4pm British time.
Why non-European papal candidates have previously fallen short
14:52
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Rachel Clun
Until Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has not had a non-European Pope in more than a thousand years (Pope Gregory, in the 8th century, was from Syria).
Whether the conclave looks beyond its European members for the next Pope is a question of logistics and culture.
Read more about this here:
Where are the 133 cardinals from?
14:37
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Rachel Clun
There were 135 cardinals aged under 80 and eligible to take part in the conclave, and two could not make it, leaving 133 with the responsibility of electing the next Pope.
They are believed to be the most diverse group of cardinals who have ever gathered for a conclave, representing 70 countries around the world.
Here’s a breakdown of where they are from.
Europe: 52
Unsurprisingly, Italy has the most cardinals, with 17 in total. European cardinals are also from countries including Spain, France, the Netherlands and Hungary.
Asia and the Middle East: 23
These cardinals are from countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, India and Japan.
Africa: 17
The African cardinals come from countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.
North America: 16
Of these, 10 are from the United States, four are from Canada and two are from Mexico.
South and Central America: 21
These cardinals represent countries including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.
Oceania: 4
There is one cardinal each from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.
A recap of day two of the conclave
14:23
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Rachel Clun
The 133 cardinal electors are finishing their lunch, ahead of their return to the Sistine Chapel a little later this afternoon to continue their deliberations.
Before that happens, here’s a recap of what has happened so far today, and what we can expect a bit later on.
- Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney this morning, signalling that after two rounds of voting, the conclave was not yet able to reach a consensus on the next Pope.
- The dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, told Italian media that he hoped for a decision by this evening.
- In betting markets, two Italian cardinals - Pietro Parolin and Pierbattista Pizzaballa - have emerged as favourites to become the next Pope.
- The cardinals re-enter the Sistine Chapel for the next round of voting between 4-4.30pm Roman time (3-3.30pm British time).
- If a new pope is elected, white smoke will issue from the chimney half an hour after voting commences.
- If not, the second round of voting will begin immediately, and smoke will appear regardless of the outcome at around 6pm British time.
How long has it previously taken to elect a new Pope?
14:07
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Rachel Clun, AP
No pope in modern times has been elected on the first attempt, so Wednesday's black smoke was widely expected.
But given recent history, a successful outcome is possible from the second day.
On average, new Popes are elected on the third day of the Conclave, after eight ballots, according to Vatican News.
Pope Francis was elected on the second day of the 2013 conclave, after five ballots, and his predecessor Benedict XVI was also elected on the evening of the second day in 2005.
For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope.
John Paul I - the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 - was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight.
Senior catholic hopes for Pope decision today
13:52
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Rachel Clun
A senior Catholic has said he hopes for a decision on the next Pope today.
The last two Popes - Francis, in 2013, and Benedict XVI in 2005 - were both elected on the evening of the second day of the conclave.
Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who at 91 is too old to participate in the conclave, told Italian reporters that he hoped the new pope would be elected by Thursday evening.
Key moments from first day of conclave: Cardinals swear oath of secrecy
13:37
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Rachel Clun
Before the conclave could begin on Wednesday afternoon, the 133 cardinals had to make a solemn oath of secrecy, and vow to carry out their duty to the best of their ability.
Watch part of that ceremony here:
The history behind the conclave’s smoke signals
13:22
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Rachel Clun
It’s one of the most famous aspects of the conclave: burning the ballots to signal whether or not a new Pope has been elected during the secretive meeting.
This history dates back to the 15th century, when the ballots were burned to maintain secrecy, but the smoke wasn’t visible to the broader public until a chimney was installed in the 18th century, to protect Michelangelo’s frescoes.
The smoke was not intended as a public signal, but onlookers soon began interpreting it as an indicator of the voting outcome.
The deliberate use of smoke to signal the outcome of votes has only been around since the 19th century, when smoke was used to signal a Pope had been chosen.
The Vatican later formalised the process by introducing black smoke to signal no decision had been made, and white smoke to indicate a Pope had been elected.
Read more about that history, and what they put in the stove to turn the smoke black or white, below:
The key players and terms involved in selecting a new Pope
13:07
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Rachel Clun
The process of selecting a new Pope has a history as long as the Catholic Church, and has remained broadly the same for 800 years.
Here are some of the key terms and people involved in the process:
In photos: Crowds wait at the Vatican for conclave to choose new Pope
12:52
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Rachel Clun
Despite the fact voting does not resume in the conclave until a little later this afternoon, thousands remain gathered in St Peter’s Square in the hopes of witnessing a white smoke signal indicating that a new Pope has been elected.
