The Catholic Church has entered a new era. On May 8, 2025, at exactly 6:08 PM local time, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. This ancient signal means only one thing: a new pope has been chosen.
Crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as they watched the smoke billow into the evening sky. The signal came after several rounds of intense voting, held behind closed doors by the College of Cardinals. The decision marks the end of the conclave and the beginning of a new papacy—making this the 267th pontiff in Catholic history.
The newly elected pope will then appear before the crowd to offer his first public blessing, known as the “Urbi et Orbi,” meaning “to the city and to the world.” Until that moment, the world can only guess who will lead the Church next.
