HABEMUS PAPAM: From The Conclave of 2025 to 'a POPE from two worlds'

 At 18:07' , Roman Time, of Thursday, May 8, 2025, White Smoke emerged from the Chimney of Sistine Chapel, clearly visible from St. Peter's Square. This was the sign the whole world waited for. A new Pope had been elected! The 266th Successor of St. Peter was finally there, after two days and four ballots of The Papal Conclave. A new Bishop of Rome, Vicar of The Christ, Fisher of The Men, Sovereign of The Holy See was in charge after seventeen days of Sede Vacante, following the Death of The Holy Father Francis (on Easter Monday, April 21, of The Holy Jubilee Year 2025). People from all walks of life gathered at St. Peter's Square to catch a glimpse of the moment in History. Giant Screens made the central pictures clear, as members of The Swiss Guard, Vatican's Gendarmarie Corps, alongside The Italian Army & Carabinieri marched their way through the Square, forming up honor guards beneath the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. It was there, at 19:13', where The Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti appeared to read out the much anticipated announcement: Habemus Papam! We have a Pope! And amid cheerings of joy, the name of The elected: Robert Francis, Cardinal of The Holy Roman Church Prevost; who took The Papal name of: LEO XIV. Ten minutes later (19:23') the new - 267th - Pontiff will appear at The Loggia for the first time, ushering The world's only Pastoral, elective Monarchy, into a new Era!

Preparations for the Papal Conclave begun almost immediately upon the late Pope's death. On April 23 it was announced that The Sistine Chapel (a part of the Vatican Museums) will be closed to the public from April 28, to adjust the venue (which is the polling place), as well as Domus Sanctae Marthae (the guesthouse), which members of Pope Francis' staff were required to vacate on April 22. Both buildings were jammered from any possible signals from inside & outside, while Chapel itself - its ceiling facing Michelangelo's famous fresco "The Last Judgement" - was layered with protective wooden floor, with choir stalls like tables & chairs were adjusted, and a ballot-burning stove and chimney installed by the firefighters' brigade on May 2. Out of the 251 persons, forming up The College of Cardinals, 133 were (under the age of 80) eligible to elect - or be elected as - the new Pope. Although the current Apostolic Constitution, Universi Dominici Gregis, allows up to 120 Cardinals to vote in each Conclave (par. 33), its paragraph 36 does not bar the Cardinals, exceeding the set limit from the right to elect The Roman Pontiff, "from the moment of their creation and publication". Thus, while Pope Francis exceeded the said limit in each of his ten consistories, creating new Cardinals, the latter acknowledged the right of all 133 Cardinal electors to participate in the Conclave, making this election the highest in number of participants ever recorded. Only one Cardinal elector was considered ineligible due to restrictions placed by Pope Francis (Giovanni Angelo Becciu voluntarily withdrew on April 29) and two didn't take part for health reasons.

In the lead up to the proceedings, The College of Cardinals made the arrangements through regular meetings. General Congregations of all Cardinals (regardless their electoral status) arriving in Rome, took place almost daily to allow members of this diverse body (spanning through six continents) to meet each other and discuss the most important matters of The Catholic Church, one among whom would be chosen to lead. They took place at the New Synod Hall of Sistine Chapel, on a daily basis from 22 April to 6 May - apart from April 26-27, and May 1 & 4. The first four focused on the late Pontiff's funeral & burial arrangements, as well as the schedule of Masses for Novemdiales, The nine days of Religious Mourning (from April 26 to May 4). The fifth congregation (April 28) decided May 7 as the starting date of The Conclave, and discussions gradually switched to topics, currently challenging The Roman Curia & Holy Church's role in the world (such as evangelization, ecumenism, communion & the sexual abuse crises). The latter congregations were guided by personal reflections of selected senior Cardinals, who paved the way to subjects' discussions through formal remarks, known as "interventions", while tet-a-tet, impromptu discussions among individual Cardinals - known as pratiche (exercises) - were also taking place in the meantime. All 133 Cardinal-electors took part in the tenth General Congregation on May 5, and the 11th (held later the same day) focused on topics shaped by Francis' papacy, including migration, synodality & unity). The 12th and last general congregation on May 6, saw Pope Francis' fisherman's ring & seal be nulled; the last duty of The Cardinal Camerlengo (Kevin Farell) as acting Co-Head of The Church during the Vacancy of The Holy See.

The Papal Conclave of 2025 to elect the 267th Head of The Roman Catholic Church began on Wednesday, 7 May 2025. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of The College of Cardinals, presided over the Mass pro eligendo Pontifice ('for The election of The Pontiff') at 10:00am, at St. Peter's Basilica. The Conclave officially began at 4:30pm, with a Service at Pauline Chapel; The Cardinals-electors then proceeded through Sala Regia (within The Apostolic Palace), entered the neighboring Sistine Chapel, and the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus ("Come, Creator Spirit") was sung. Then came the time for the The Cardinal-electors to swear themselves to secrecy. Each of the 133 potential successors of St. Peter placed his hand to the Book of Gospels and read aloud the following words in Latin: "Et ego spondeo, voveo ac iuro. Sic me Deus adiuvet et haec Sancta Dei Evangelia, quae manu mea tango" ( And I [full name of The Cardinal] promise, commit myself and swear it, so help me God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hand). All conclave officials & support staff - including: sacristans, medical staff, elevator operators, cooks, and the director of Vatican's security services - who had to inevitably stay with the Cardinals throughout The Conclave, had taken their secrecy oaths on May 5. As the electorate took their seats, The Master of The Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies, Diego Ravelli exclaimed: "Extra omnes!" (Everyone, Out!) calling for all the non-participants in the ballot to leave The Sistine Chapel. He closed its guarded doors at 5:46'pm, locking the electors 'cum clave' (with a key).

The first, single ballot of The 2025 Papal Conclave ended at 21:00', without producing a new Pope. Before the ballot Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa delivered his reflections to the Cardinals, which reportedly lasted for over an hour. Then The Cardinals, after declining to postpone the first ballot (which they could do) wrote the name of their preferred candidate on the ballot paper, bellow the latin words: "Eligo in summum Pontificem" ('I elect as Supreme Pontiff'). They submitted the ballot saying: "Testor Christum Dominum, qui me iudicaturus est, me eum eligere, quem secundum Deum iudico elige debere" ('I call as my wittness Christ The Lord, who is to judge me, that I choose him whom according to God I judge ought to be elected'). After the results had been carefully read out, recorded & scrutinized, the ballots were stitched together with a needle & red thread and burned alongside cartridges containing potassium, perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar) & sulfur, which produced black smoke (fumata nera). On the second day of the Conclave, Thursday, May 8, two consecutive votes were planned for the morning/noon and afternoon/evening. The second and the third voting concluded at approximately 10:30' & 11:45'am - their ballots were burned together, producing black smoke; which appeared from The Sistine Chapel's Chimney at 11:51'. After a lunch break, The Cardinals returned to vote for the fourth round, the leading Candidate required a two-third (or 89 votes) majority to be elected Pope. At 18:07', white smoke (fumata bianca) - a mixture of the burning ballots with potassium chlorate, lactose, and chloroform resin - appeared from The Chimney of Capella Sistina, and The Bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang in a festive tone for the first time in eighteen days. The Papal Conclave had been concluded (on its second day), as was the seventeen-day Vacancy of The Holy See.

40,000 people were waiting at St. Peter's Square when the white smoke appeared; 150,000 had gathered by the time The Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti formally spoke to the world the following words: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!" ("I announce you a great joy: We have a Pope!"). "Emminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Robertum Franciscum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost; qui sibi nomen imposuit: LEONEM XIV" ("His Eminence, The Most Reverend Lord Robert Francis, Cardinal of The Holy Roman Church Prevost; who has taken the name: LEO XIV). Cardinal Prevost - the US-born Prefect of The Dicastery of Bishops was reportedly the front-runner from ballot one, even though he was considered a dark horse in comparison to the more Papabili Cardidates by the leading media & analyst. After receiving an over 100 of votes on the decisive, fourth ballot, he was asked by Cardinal Pietro Parolin (on hehalf of The Dean and Sub-Dean of The College of Cardinals, inelligible to participate in the Conclave due to their ages): "Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in summum pontificem?" (Do you accept your election according to the rules as Supreme Pontiff?). After his acceptance, Parolin (who had endorsed Prevost by withdrawing his strong candidacy after the third ballot) asked the newly elected Pope one more question: "Quo nomine vis vocari?" (By what name do you wish to be called?). Following that the formal document of the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost  & his ascension to The Petrine Ministry as Pope Leo XIV was signed; and the new Pontiff went to the Room of Tears, to dress himself in the Papal regalia he wished to use in his first appearance. Once in his formal attire, The Holy Father embraced his fellow Cardinal-electors one-by-one and briefly paused at the chapel for a personal prayer.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV appeared for the first time at The Central Loggia of The Balcony of The Apostolic Palace at 7:23'pm of Thursday, 8th May 2025; shortly after his election as new Head of The Roman Catholic Church. He proceeded after the Crussifix, wearing a full set of papal regalia including the red stole and mozzetta (which weren't worn together at a Pope's first appearance since that of Benedict XVI in 2005). His Pectoral Cross was a gift from when he became a Cardinal by The Postulator General of The Augustinian Order (to which he belongs); while The Regalia, displayed on a banner beneath the loggia belonged to his late predecessor. A smiling & moved new Holy Father addressed the enthusiastic crowds by wishing Peace to all of them. An "unarmed and disarming" peace, coming from the God who "loves us all, unconditionally". He spoke about The "peace of The risen Christ", referencing to the last blessing of the late Pope Francis, on Easter Day; mentioned that Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to God' love. He then thanked Pope Francis & his brother Cardinals for chosing him as the next Successor of Peter; and called everyone to walk together as "a Church united, ever pursuing peace and justice"... "a missionary church". Refering his religious Order, of Saint Augustine, The Holy Father repeated his words: "With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop". His Holiness then switched to Spanish, to particularly greet his Diocess of Chiclayo, in Peru; before returning to Italian, to talk about a "synodal Church, a Church that moves forward", always seeking peace, charity & closeness to those suffering. The 267th Bishop of Rome ended his address - so similar in tone and messages to that of his late predecessor - with a prayer to "Our Mother Mary", delivering an 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing to the City of Rome and the whole World. 

Pope Leo XIV came to the top stage quite recently. Pope Francis apointed Prevost to lead the dicastery of Bishops (in charge for promotion and selection of Catholic bishops) only in January 2023, creating him a Cardinal in the Consistory of September 30 (2023). Before that, Robert Francis Prevost was Bishop of Chiclayo in distant Peru (from 2015 to 2023). Born on 14 September 1955 and raised in Chicago, The United States, Prevost studied Mathematics & Philosophy, and attended an Augustinian seminary, before joining the Order in 1977. He received his theological education in Chicago, made solemn vows in 1981, and was Ordained priest the following year in Rome, where he studied Canon Law. After obtaining his licentiate, Prevost was sent as a missionary to Chulucanas in Piura, Peru in 1985, where he prepared his doctoral thesis on "The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine" (defented in 1987). Based in the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Council" in Illinois, Prevost returned to Peru as a Missionary from 1988 to 1999, raising in ranks as a member of his order, but retaining humble backgrounds, and staying closely to the people in poor suburbs. From 2001 to 2013 he was elected as Prior General of the Order o St. Augustine, serving as head of The Augustinians for two consecutive terms. In 2014 he was appointed  Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo, and then Bishop in 2015. According to the relevant bilateral agreement of The US and Peru, Prevost became a Peruvian citizen through naturalization, upon his appointment at Bishop of Chiclayo. He learned profecient Spanish in the 1980s, also practicing an indegenous Peruvian language.

Following his election as Supreme Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV's Inaugural acts of Petrine Ministry were announced. On the morning after his election, Friday 9 May (2025) Leo celebrated a Mass at Sistine Chapel, with the Cardinals, who had elected him as Successor of Peter there hours earlier. He gave first remarks in English, calling upon his 'brothers' "to bear witness to our joyful faith in Christ". On Saturday, May 10, The Supreme Pontiff met with the entire College of Cardinals in the Synod Hall, extending his call for The Church to effectively respond to the challenges, arrised by digital revolution. He also commemorated his late predecessors; Pope Francis' simplicity & radical dedication to service - whose 'peaceful' return to The House of Lord he called as 'a Paschal event'; Leo XIII's Encyclical 'Rerum Novarum' - addressing the social question in the context of the first industrial revolition - ; and St. Paul VI's "prayer & commitment". His Holiness visited his predecessors' graves the following day, Sunday, 11 May 2025; that morning he celebrated a private mass at Vatican Grottoes, calling for the faithful to 'listen without jidging'. He later presided over his Papacy's first Regina caeli Sunday service from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, overlooking St. Peter's Square; The Holy Father delivered that Day's Prayer for Vocations, preached the Good Shepherd's Sunday, and called upon the faithful to 'live a life in service', 'walk in love and truth', 'help one another' and not to be afraid. The Pontiff also called for all conflicts to cease, and wished a 'Happy Mother's Day' to all mothers out there. He later broke the Seals of The Papal apartments, accompanied by Cardinals Pietro Parolin & Kevin Farell (the Camerlengo). Unlike Pope Francis, Leo XIV will reportedly opt for the Apostolic Palace as his official residence.

At his first meeting with representatives of The Press, The Holy Father thanked them 'for their service to the truth', especially marked during the recent period of interregnum, urging them to 'foster peace' through a way, "disarming words". Does this statement contain a political message? Or it rather shows a discreet understanding on the new Pontiff's views? Those who considered Prevost as a serious candidate to the Papacy viewed him as a 'dignified middle ground' between Franciscans & ultra conservatives. His views on the governance of the Church are traditional: he opposes controversial practices, such as: abortion, euthanasia, death penalty or same-sex marriage. At the same time, he expressed his oppeness to the role of women inside the Church and to Pope Francis' initiative for Synodality (he took part in the namesake Synod in 2023-24). Politically, however, Prevost had a clear position on subjects such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine (differentiated from his predecessor), The US' administration's migration policies (he was critical of them) and social justice (he sympathised with BLM Protests). An American by origin, but a Peruvian by naturalization, Leo XIV, is indeed 'a Pope from two worlds'. Raised by charitable beliefs, and living a life of a humble missionary, close to the underprevileged. His Regnal name was chosen after Leo XIII (r. 1878-1903), The first Pope who adressed 'worker's rights' in rerum novarum, created to confront the challenges of industrial revolution. For Leo XIV the "new industrial revolution" pauses serious challenges through the over-development of AI, which he believes should not replace humans. A socially sensible, kind hearted, and practically conservative; Pope Leo XIV's option for "impeccable dressing" could be reflected on both his first appearance as Bishop of Rome, and at the masses leading up to his Papal Inauguration on May 18 (during which he wore the papal ferula, that was broadly used by Pope-Saint John-Paul II). Aged 69, he is the first Pontiff born after World War II.

Videos:

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