Catholic Church Elects New Pope

White smoke has been seen rising above the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace in Rome, signaling that the cardinals have elected a new pope.

The new pontiff will replace Pope Francis, who died last month at age 88, as the 267th Vicar of Christ.

The smoke was seen rising from the chapel’s chimney on Thursday, two days after the conclave officially began.

The conclave is an ancient process used by the Catholic church to elect a new pontiff.

For this process, the 133 cardinals qualified to vote are currently gathered at the Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis had lived, and have been casting their ballots in the Sistine Chapel.

The identity of the new pope is expected to be revealed soon.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that as part of the procedure, after a pontiff has been elected, the dean of the cardinals will ask him if he accepts the office.

If he says yes, he will be asked to choose the name he will use as pope. Afterwards, the new pope will put on a white robe, greet the cardinals, step out onto the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, and then, a senior cardinal will announce in Latin: “Habemus papam” — “We have a pope.”

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, among others, were earlier reported to be top contenders in the election.

Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, also known as St. Mary Major, one of the four major Catholic churches in Rome.

He chose to be buried outside the Vatican, making him the first Pope to do so in 120 years since Pope Leo XIII was buried at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

Before his death, he requested a simple tomb in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

“The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus,” the pontiff said in his will.

PREMIUM TIMES