LIVE: Reporting and in-depth coverage of the election of the Pope continues as white smoke rises over Vatican City, signaling the birth of a new papacy.
A surge of emotion swept across St. Peter’s Square this evening as white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, announcing to the world that the Catholic Church has elected a new Pope.
For hours, thousands stood shoulder to shoulder under the cloudy Roman sky—pilgrims clutching rosaries, children on their parents’ shoulders, elderly couples wrapped in scarves against the spring chill. All eyes were fixed on the small chimney above the chapel, where centuries of tradition meet a moment of divine decision.
When the smoke turned white at 6:42 PM, the reaction was instant. A roar of joy rolled through the square. Bells rang out from St. Peter’s Basilica. People wept, sang, and embraced. Flags waved. Some knelt and prayed. Others lifted their phones high, capturing a moment they would tell their children and grandchildren.
The crowd was a living reflection of the Church’s universality. Faces from every continent shared the same hope, the same faith, and now the same joy. A group of seminarians from Africa sang hymns in Swahili, while nearby, an elderly Italian woman sobbed quietly, whispering prayers of gratitude.
As night falls over Vatican City, the world waits in breathless anticipation for the Pope-elect to step onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. There, he will be introduced with the words: “Habemus Papam!” and offer his first blessing as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
But tonight, even before his name is known, the message is clear: the Church has chosen, the world has heard, and faith endures.
