»Ê¹ÚÍøÖ·

© 2025
NPR News, Colorado Stories
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

White smoke pours out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that a new pope has been elected

A large square with historic buildings and statues. Many people crowd the area.
Antonio Calanni
/
AP
A view of St. Peter's Square during the conclave to elect a successor of late Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.

White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. The crowd in St. Peter's Square erupted in cheers. The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words "Habemus papam!" Latin for "We have a pope!" from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner's birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.