The first American pope is identified as Cardinal Robert Prevost

The Vatican’s 16th Conclave of Pilgrims, a Time for a “Self-Assemble,” Revisited

Mireia Mejias is studying in Italy and she is from Spain. As a young Catholic, she said she is hoping the new pope will follow in Francis’ legacy.

Patrizia Silveri was born in Rome and said she hopes for an Italian pope. “The pope is like family for the Roman citizens,” said Silveri. “And so we consider the pope as our business.”

Even though onlookers expected black smoke on the first evening of the conclave, pilgrim Ceci Triska said there was a sense of “quiet anticipation” among the crowd. Triska came with a group of friends from Texas. She said she didn’t have a favorite potential pope in mind, but instead was looking for higher guidance. “We’ve been praying for the Holy Spirit to take over. “Wherever God leads, it’s going to be great,” Triska said.

The crowd was made up of people of all ages, and different languages. Clergy and laity, faithful and curious, novice and veteran attendees all packed into the world’s tiniest country to be a part of the historical moment.

St. Peter’s Square was covered in sunlight as the conclave began. People gathered in small groups to chat as they waited for the famed smoke to waft from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Some sat on the ground while others positioned themselves in the shade.

White smoke streamed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that the 133 Roman Catholic cardinals inside have elected a new pope.

They will vote four times a day until a candidate for the papacy achieves a two-thirds majority, with a break for a day of prayer if no pope is elected after three days.

As the cardinals vote for the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, they will be facing Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel, a powerful work that may appear to be watching over the solemn, weighy occasion. Of the Sistine Chapel, Pope John Paul II once wrote, “everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God, in whose sight each person will one day be judged.”

The conclave was first held in the chapel in 1492. Then for more than 300 years, conclaves were held in different spaces in the Apostolic Palace, the papal residence. It was not until 1878 that the church again started holding the papal elections in the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums’ Barbara Jatta said that Pope John Paul II wrote the new rules for the papal elections in 1996.

The popes were elected by acclamation in the early centuries of the church, and the clergy and Rome’s population could vote. Gradually, voting rights were restricted to the top ranks of the clergy, though external interference from monarchs and aristocrats was common.

The longest conclave was between Nov. 29, 1268 and Sept. 1, 1271. It prompted Gregory X, the pontiff who emerged from that election, to draw up rules that were first used in 1276. These were adjusted over the years, overhauled by John Paul II, and tweaked by Benedict XVI.

While the cardinals remained sequestered, an official from the conclave gave them the keys to where they were staying and acted as a conduit between them and the outside world.

The living conditions in the Vatican during the four-month period that led to the election of Pope Pius IV had deteriorated significantly, according to a book by Mary Hollingsworth.

The election of Urban VIII took place during three weeks in the summer of 1606, and contemporary documents say that the 55 cardinals involved suffered in the stifling Roman heat. By the time they were released, 12 cardinals had a fever, two had to leave because of illness and others were close to death. Even Urban had to postpone his election ceremony because he was ill.

The plan to camp out in the Vatican gardens as well as the one to find alternative spaces to housing the cardinals were allnixed by the pope.

The residence of the Italian president is located at the pontifical palace where four conclaves were held in the 19th century. The move to the Quirinale was partly for practical considerations: It was more spacious, and the number of cardinals had grown, Ms. Gianfranceschi said. The popes lost the palace when Italy became a kingdom, and the elections were moved to the Sistine Chapel.

VATICAN CITY — U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected pope, the first time an American has led the Roman Catholic Church. The name Pope Leo XIV was chosen by Provost.

A roar erupted from the crowd when they saw the white smoke billow from the chimney, which is shown on several large screens in St. Peter’s Square. At the same time, the enormous bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring, tolling the news that the Catholic Church has a new pope. As people carry flags from their countries, the crowd builds.

The new pontiff is not currently known. The name of the new pope will be announced from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Thousands of people gather near the Via della Conciliazione to watch the pope’s announcement and presentation to the world.

While the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics await the emergence of the new leader of their church on the famous loggia, a series of rituals are taking place.

The new pope is then taken into a sacristy and fitted with papal attire, as the Cardinal electors pledge their fidelity to the new head of the church.

Finally, the pronouncement is made in Latin — “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!” The new pope gave a blessing to the faithful and brought good tidings of joy.