Following the death of Pope Francis, the 2025 Papal Conclave has begun as cardinals gather inside the Sistine Chapel to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church. With the world watching closely, the sacred voting process is underway to determine who will succeed him as the next pope.
Below, find out everything you need to know about the conclave—what it is, who’s involved, and the latest updates on whether a new pope has been elected.
White smoke! The 133 Cardinal electors gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected the new Pope. He will appear soon at the central window of St. Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/XejI7mY43m
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
What Is the Conclave?
Following the death of a pope, a funeral is held. In accordance with Pope Francis’s wishes, his coffin was displayed open at St. Peter’s Basilica to allow the public to pay their respects. Afterward, the College of Cardinals gathers to elect the next pope in a process known as the conclave.
The conclave is a secretive assembly of Roman Catholic cardinals held inside the Sistine Chapel. Sequestered from the outside world, the cardinals cast their votes in a centuries-old ritual until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. Historically, conclaves have lasted anywhere from a few days to several months. In modern times, they typically conclude within a few days.
Is There a New Pope Yet?
According to Vatican News, a new pope has been chosen: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Previously, black smoke had risen from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that voting was still ongoing. Now, on May 8, 2025, white smoke has appeared, indicating that a pope has been selected. The world continues to wait for white smoke, which will announce that a new pope has been chosen.
Until then, the governance of the Catholic Church rests with the Camerlengo—currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell—who is responsible for overseeing the Vatican’s daily operations during the sede vacante.
Who Are the Cardinals?
The conclave includes 120 voting cardinals from around the world. Traditionally, the next pope is chosen from among them. According to Reuters and Associated Press, some of the prominent contenders are:
Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, 66 years old, French
Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, 72 years old, Hungarian
Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, 68 years old, Maltese
Cardinal Juan Jose Omella, archbishop of Barcelona, 79 years old, Spanish
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican diplomat, 70 years old, Italian
Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle; Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization under Francis, 67 years old; Filipino
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, archbishop of Newark, N.J., 72 years old, American
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Vatican official; 76 years old; Ghanaian
Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, 69 years old, Italian
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Congolese, Archbishop of Kinshasa, 65 years old
