White smoke rises, new pope elected at Vatican

This photograph shows white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signaling that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that the 133 cardinals inside have elected a new pope.

They picked a successor to Pope Francis on the second day of voting, but the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will have to wait for the official announcement from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to learn who he is.

More details later….

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