History was made this Thursday, May 8, as white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that a new Pope has been chosen. This time, the first American Pope in history.
After a second round of voting, the College of Cardinals reached a consensus, culminating in the traditional fumata bianca that marks the end of the papal conclave.
Following the white smoke, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out in celebration, announcing a new Pope. The conclave convened to select the successor to Pope Francis earlier in the day. However, black smoke indicated an inconclusive first vote.
But just hours later, the awaited white smoke confirmed that at least 89 of the 133 cardinal-electors, which is a two-thirds majority, united behind one name.
The papal election comes following the passing of Pope Francis on April 21 at the age of 88, a day after delivering his final Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, will be remembered for his transformative impact on the Church. He became the first Jesuit Pope, the first from Latin America, and the first non-European pontiff since Gregory III in the 8th century.
His papacy followed the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, and he led the Church through a period of reform and modernization. Following his death, the Vatican entered the period known as Sede Vacante, during which the College of Cardinals assumed temporary leadership.
How the sacred voting tradition works:
The election took place in the Sistine Chapel under strict secrecy, with four daily voting rounds, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. After each session, ballots were burned in a special stove: black smoke for inconclusive votes, white for a successful election.
The white smoke, or fumata bianca, is a centuries-old signal used to inform the world that a new Pope has been chosen. It is produced by burning the voting ballots along with a specific mix of substances to create a clearly visible white smoke.
This tradition symbolizes both the solemnity and transparency of the papal selection process.