On Thursday night, as the rest of the world was adjusting to its new pope. A conclave of 133 cardinals clearly and quickly elected the 267th Pope. The announcement came at 6:10 PM local time when white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a decision had been reached. Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, their eyes fixed on the chimney, as they awaited news of the church’s new leader.
The conclave process commenced earlier that day with a mass, followed by the first vote in the historic Sistine Chapel. Cardinals from around the world have converged on Vatican City since the passing of Pope Francis on April 21. According to the rules of this time-honored, centuries-old custom, only cardinals under the age of 80 were allowed to vote in the selection process. This was true even for the Catholic Church’s only Australian cardinal in the conclave, Ukrainian-born Melbourne bishop Mykola Bychok, and other senior churchmen.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis leaned into a vision of social justice that elevated the needs of marginalized communities first—especially the poor. He wanted to make the Church more inclusive, a legacy which his successor now stands to inherit. The eventual successful candidate needed to obtain two-thirds majority plus one in order to be elected Pope. While conclaves can sometimes last for weeks, recent elections have finished up in just a few days time.
He will continue on Pope Francis’s important legacy of inclusivity and social justice. The new pontiff inherits a Church that has undergone transformations under Francis, who sought to broaden its reach and support for various communities.
As it turned out, the youngest cardinal in this conclave was a mere 45 years old. This indicates a distinct combination of experience and youth within the electors. Of significance is the fact that all of those cardinals were men. So far, the Catholic Church has not had women ordained as priests.
