Excitement filled St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday evening as white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope has been elected by the Catholic Church.
Cheers and applause erupted from the large crowd of faithful gathered outside the Vatican, many waving flags, praying, and singing as they waited to see who the new spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics would be.
The white smoke is a centuries-old tradition used to announce the election of a new pope. It comes after the cardinals, dressed in red robes, reach an agreement during a secret voting process called a conclave.
After two days of voting, the 133 cardinals from around the world chose a new pontiff. During the conclave, they were completely cut off from the outside world and not allowed to use phones or speak with anyone beyond the voting room.
A senior cardinal is expected to soon step onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announce the new pope with the famous Latin words, “Habemus Papam,” meaning “We have a pope.” The new pope will then appear and give his first public blessing.
As the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out, more people rushed into the square, while others gathered on nearby rooftops and balconies, eager to witness this historic moment.
The identity and chosen papal name of the new pope are still unknown as of the time of this report, but the world now waits in hope and prayer for the new leader of the Catholic Church.
