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All eyes were on Vatican City as the papal conclave took place this week. In 2013, Pope Francis was elected in two days over five ballots. Sixteen days after his death, the cardinals convened to vote on his successor.
There are about 1.4 billion Catholics in the world, so the selection of a new religious leader obviously always takes center stage in the news. However, this year, the rise of social media, and the popularity of the 2024 movie Conclave, which demystified the behind-closed-doors voting process, have given a little drama to the whole proceedings.
The movie Conclave depicts a church in need of a new direction and the voting as extremely political and full of intrigue and sabotage. It’s true that the next pope will be responsible for shaping the future of the religion. And although real life doesn’t have as many surprise twists as a movie, the rules and traditions of the centuries old conclave process do have a lot of dramatic flair.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 papal conclave and the newly-elected pope:
Who was on the guest list?
There are 252 cardinals, but only those under 80 can vote. That narrows the list down to 135 eligible voters, two who did not visit Rome due to their health. The 133 cardinals left are now sequestered in the Vatican behind locked doors.
This year marks a shift in the demographic breakdown of cardinals, fewer than half are from Europe. Places like South Sudan and Myanmar are being represented for the first time. Several outlets attribute this shift to Pope Francis, who valued broader representation and diversity. According to USA Today, 108 of the 133 cardinals voting were appointed by Pope Francis.
What happened on day one?
All the cardinals took their oath of secrecy, which says they cannot speak about the election to anyone. Then, they went on complete lockdown. According to CNN, this year that means electronic signals are jammed too. And, much like at the Met Gala, there is a no-phones rule.
The intense secrecy is a long tradition, although the technology rules are new. The word “conclave” comes from the Latin meaning “con clavis” which means “with a key.”
Who was overseeing the conclave?
If you watched Conclave, you may be wondering who the real Ralph Fiennes, a.k.a. the person who oversees the conclave, is. Well, it’s Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was also one of the projected frontrunners.
What are the general rules of a conclave?
The cardinals can hold one vote on the first day, and two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon on the following days. A person needs a two-out-of-three majority to win the vote. Voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel.
“Eligo in Summum Pontificem” is written on each ballot; it means “I elect as Supreme Pontiff.”
The votes are placed in a chalice, in an elaborate way, and then shaken and counted once every cardinal has voted.
Who is the new pope?
Robert Francis Prevost, a native of Chicago, will be our new pope and has taken the name Leo XIV. He is the first American pope to ever be elected.
While he is American, he served as a missionary in and is a citizen of Peru, as well as of the U.S..
While he leans conservative in some areas—he opposes ordaining women as deacons, for example—he is considered progressive in others, and has stood up for marginalized groups.
How was the new pope announced?
The ballots are burned in a stove after each vote. They are burned with a chemical that releases color. If no pope has been chosen, black smoke emerges from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. If one has, it’s white smoke. Black smoke Wednesday night and Thursday morning indicated a pope had not yet been picked.
But on Thursday afternoon, white smoke appeared.
Who were some other top contenders?
The deal is done, but there were actually many, many contenders for pope. Most experts, however, listed about 10 names at the top of the ballot. Those included:
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: He would have been the first Filipino pope. He is more progressive. Also, he loves to sing karaoke and dance. He had this very relatable quote when asked in 2015 if he had thought about being pope, “I make a public confession here. I cannot even manage my life. How can I imagine a worldwide community?” This relatability explains why he’s all over TikTok.
Cardinal Peter Erdo: He would have been a more conservative choice. Erdo courted controversy for his initially harsh reaction to migrants in Hungary, closing church doors to them. But after an audience with Pope Francis, he changed his position. Some conservative cardinals hoped and believed that he would take the church back to the time of Pope John Paul II, according the New York Times.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: Although his name has been fodder for late night comedians, Pizzaballa has spent decades in the Middle East. He was ordained when he was 25 and then moved to Jerusalem. The New York Times calls him a “wild card” because “his positions on many issues that have caused division in the church are not known.”
Other top contenders included Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Cardinal Mario Grech, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Cardinal Juan Jose Omella, to name a few.
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