The cardinals around the world, gathered at the Vatican since this Wednesday, elected a new sovereign pontiff this Thursday, which will take over from pope Francis, who died on April 21.
A new pope has been elected. The 133 cardinals voters, from 70 different countries, designated the new sovereign pontiff this Thursday, May 8. White smoke has indeed escaped from the chapel of the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals have been united since Wednesday.
This white smoke was greeted by the strong cheers and the applause of the thousands of faithful massaged on Place Saint-Pierre while the bells of the Saint-Pierre basilica sounded on all flying.
A very open ballot
To know the identity of the new spiritual guide of the 1.4 billion Catholics, it will be necessary to wait for the official announcement at the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica by Cardinal Protodiacre (“Habemus Papam”), followed by the exit of the 267th Pope Elected, which occurs about an hour after the election.
The sovereign pontiff was elected after a ballot which promised to be very open, notably due to the record number of cardinals present.
-He brought together a majority of two thirds, that is to say at least 89 votes, on his name. But due to the absolute secrecy surrounding the conclave, the details of the ballot are not known.
Under the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, a record number of 133 prelates from 70 countries found themselves, many of which come from the “peripheries” dear to Pope Francis who had appointed some 80% of the conclave.
The new Pope will quickly face considerable challenges for a loss of speed in Europe: finances, fight against pedocrime, drop in vocations … But he will also have to change the various currents of an institution in which very diverse cultural sensitivities coexist, between a secularized Europe and growing “peripheries”.
This 267th Sovereign Pontiff takes over from Pope Francis who held the post between 2013 and 2025, until His death on April 21.
