New Pope Elected: The 2025 Conclave Live Updates

Pope Leo XIV called for an end to war in the world as he greeted crowds from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday.

The idyllic campus of Villanova University is ecstatic since the election of American Robert Prevost to the highest seat of the Catholic Church.

Louis Prevost is still reckoning with what just happened in his family.

Swedish Cardinal Anders Arboreliu hailed Leo XIV on Friday as “gentle and humble” — and very “unlike” United States President Donald Trump.

Pope Leo XIV touched on faith, power and corruption in the homily of the first Mass he celebrated after being elected pontiff.

Tagle, along with other Filipino Cardinals Pablo Virgilio David and Jose Advincula, participated in the Papal conclave in the Vatican.

Former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III hopes newly elected Pope Leo XIV will follow the footsteps of his predecessor

Filipinos from across the globe gathered Thursday in St. Peter’s Square to witness history as Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday extended his greetings to the election of Pope Leo XIV, as he “prays” the newest pontiff would continue to bring the Church to the poor.

LOOK: Robert Prevost, OSA, now Pope Leo XIV, has been in PH not only in 2004 but also in 2008 & 2010 for the blessing of a spirituality center in Cebu and for the OSA’s Intermediate General Chapter, which can be seen in these pictures from Fr. Eugenio Reserva, OSA. | @AdrianINQ pic.twitter.com/Vpf49xBTu8

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 9, 2025

LOOK: Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost who has served prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, shared a few moments with his brother Augustinians in PH, where the Order is credited as the “first apostles” of the Catholic faith. | 📸: Fr. Genesis Labana, OSA via @AdrianINQ pic.twitter.com/613RYpJMYU

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 9, 2025

Pope Leo XIV shared articles criticizing US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on social media months before his election as America’s first pontiff.

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church.

LOOK: Carlo Olayta, a Filipino who was only 19 years old in 2010, has been blessed of having met 15 years ago Rev. Fr. Robert Prevost, OSA, who is now Pope Leo XIV after the conclave that elected him as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church. | @AdrianINQ pic.twitter.com/06s5hCXrmB

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 9, 2025

Filipino Augustinians are celebrating with special joy the election of Robert Cardinal Prevost, OSA, as Pope Leo XIV — the first Augustinian to ascend to the papacy.

Top-ranking Filipino government officials on Friday joined billions of Catholics worldwide in a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving for the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the head of state of the Vatican and shepherd of the Roman Catholic Church.

For more than 450 years, the Augustinian Order has played a foundational role in shaping the religious, cultural, and architectural landscape of the Philippines.

Former Cardinal Robert Prevost stunned his hometown when the Vatican announced that the 69-year-old Chicago native had been chosen as the first US-born pontiff.

A 19-year-old in 2010, Carlo Olayta never thought he would have the chance to meet someone who will one day become the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church.

In Chiclayo, Peru, crowds cheered and bells rang as locals celebrated Pope Leo XIV, a former bishop there, embracing him as one of their own.

From pillorying the US vice president to denouncing the death penalty, Pope Leo has proven unafraid to tackle prickly political issues on social media

Before his election as Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost had walked Philippine soil many times as a missionary friar deeply engaged with the local Church.

World leaders welcomed the election on Thursday of Pope Leo XIV, who becomes the first leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics from the United States.

Pope Leo XIV fell in love with Peru and its signature dish of raw seafood, ceviche, over his nearly two decades in the country.

Prevost became the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru 2014 to 2015, and then Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru 2015 to 2023

Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the US in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order.

Here‘s a transcript of the first address that Pope Leo XIV gave, shortly after being elected as the new head of the Catholic Church.

Former US President Barack Obama congratulated his “fellow Chicagoan” Robert Francis Prevost on becoming the first pope from the US.

Based on a Facebook post it was Pope Leo XIV who blessed the Augustinian friary in Barangay Mohon, Talisay City, Cebu on January 31, 2004.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog says his country hopes to have stronger ties with the Vatican under newly elected Pope Leo XIV.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first US pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, previously the Order of St. Augustine.

Tagle was among the “papabile,” or cardinals likely to succeed Pope Francis. He was cited as the Internet’s pick as the next pope.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first US pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, previously the Order of St. Augustine.

Leo XIV, a Chicago native, is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV had to overcome the taboo against a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by America in the secular sphere.

World leaders welcomed the election Thursday of Robert Francis Prevost as the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Pope Leo XIV called for the world to “build bridges” and for peace for “all peoples”, as he addressed the crowds in St Peter’s Square following his election.

Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the election of new Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, as a “great honor” for the country.

Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church.

LOOK: The Pontifical Swiss Guard and musical ensembles gather just outside St. Peter’s Square to celebrate the election of the new pope.

The new spiritual leader is expected to appear on the balcony along with a senior cardinal, who will announce to the waiting crowds, “Habemus… pic.twitter.com/YZKfz094r0

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

LOOK: The Catholic faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City wait in anticipation for the announcement of the new pope after white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney—signaling that the conclave has chosen the next pontiff. | 📸: Vatican News via Denver… pic.twitter.com/yteZhgVDCQ

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

LOOK: The faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City erupt into cheers as white smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the conclave has chosen the next pope. | 📸: Vatican News via @dnvrdelrosario

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the… pic.twitter.com/Qu2bXApCWo

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that the 133 cardinals inside have elected a new pope.

A NEW POPE HAS BEEN CHOSEN! 🙏🏼

LOOK: White smoke emerges from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the conclave of 133 cardinal electors has chosen Pope Francis’ successor. | 📸: Vatican News

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/s6RbrsV6Na

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

WE HAVE A NEW POPE! 🙏🏼

BREAKING: White smoke rises from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the Vatican conclave has chosen the next leader of the Roman Catholic world. | @dnvrdelrosario

•⁠ Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/dmIkgMvk5R

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

Black smoke billowed from a chimney over the Sistine Chapel for a second day Thursday as cardinals meeting in conclave once again failed to choose a new pope.

NO NEW POPE YET.

LOOK: Black smoke emerges anew from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the Vatican conclave’s 133 cardinals have failed to elect the next pontiff in their second round of voting. | 📸: Vatican News

•⁠ Follow live updates on the #Conclave:… pic.twitter.com/4ZrfwNEdAf

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

STILL NO POPE.

JUST IN: Black smoke billows anew from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the 133 cardinal electors have not yet chosen Pope Francis’ successor in the second secret vote of the conclave. | @dnvrdelrosario

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the… pic.twitter.com/ifgLlIDh6B

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

Catholic cardinals are returning to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday for a second day of voting to try and elect a new pope.

Excluded from the conclave, Catholic women released pink smoke near the Vatican, demanding a voice and calling for women’s ordination in the Church.

Locals and journalists in Cardinal Parolin’s hometown gathered over wine to watch conclave smoke signals on TV, turning it into a lively aperitivo event.

Cardinals are meeting in a secret, sacred conclave for a second day as they seek a new pontiff to follow Pope Francis.

They wore habits before the tiara. Meet the warrior monks, reformers, and thinkers from Catholic orders who left an indelible mark on Church history.

As cardinals elect a new pope—Filipino among favorites—Asia’s top Catholic nation faces a sharp drop in priesthood vocations.

Cardinals begin day two of voting as black smoke signals no pope yet, keeping Catholics worldwide in suspense from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Square.

Despite a rise in religious orders, another Jesuit pope is unlikely, as cardinals may avoid repeating Francis’ reformist legacy in the upcoming conclave.

LIVE FROM THE VATICAN 🎥

LOOK: Veteran journalists, Jessica Soho and Korina Sanchez-Roxas, from two of the biggest Philippine television networks meet at the Vatican for their coverage of the Papal conclave on Wednesday, May 7. | 📸: Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho/Facebook via Chloe… pic.twitter.com/d6PgAFfI8w

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 8, 2025

Cardinals from all over the world began voting Wednesday to elect a new pope — but what’s the cost of finding a new leader for the Catholic Church?

One hundred and thirty-three cardinals sequestered themselves behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

Black smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the first ballot of the conclave.

Black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday morning (Manila time), which means that no pope was elected.

With all the pomp, drama and solemnity that the Catholic Church can muster, 133 cardinals on Wednesday began the centuries-old ritual.

It seems it’s not just Catholics who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the conclave, as even seagulls sat atop the Sistine Chapel chimney.

LOOK: The sight of black smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney confirms that the conclave’s first vote has not resulted in the election of a new pope.

This means no one has secured the two-thirds majority of the votes, and the cardinal electors will proceed to a second round on… pic.twitter.com/tTkgeDejx7

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

NO NEW POPE YET

Black smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that the first vote of the papal conclave has ended without electing a new pope.

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/36rVV8JMEI

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

Veteran journalists Jessica Soho and Korina Sanchez-Roxas, hailing from two rival television networks, met at the Vatican.

Among the massive crowds of people waiting for the first round of smoke to emanate from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, several Filipino Catholic pilgrims were hoping for the Church to be led by a pope who is one of their own: Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

LOOK: Anticipation builds at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican as the crowd awaits the smoke from the Sistine Chapel following the first round of voting during the conclave. | 📷: Vatican News/Facebook

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/t76rvRHDrj

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

PH REPRESENT 🇵🇭

LOOK: Some of the people gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City are Filipinos, with one even carrying the Philippine flag, as thousands outside St. Peter’s Basilica await the result of the first balloting of the conclave. | 📷: Fr. Edmel Raagas via… pic.twitter.com/3E0GwRNSJ9

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

The doors of the Sistine Chapel closed on Wednesday, signaling the beginning of the conclave in which 133 cardinals will elect the successor to Pope Francis.

‘EXTRA OMNES’

LOOK: Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, closes the doors of the famed Sistine Chapel, signaling the start of the papal conclave.

About 133 cardinal electors, including three from the Philippines, will choose Pope… pic.twitter.com/iVq1riSFq4

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

The conclave to elect the next pope has begun.

About 133 Catholic cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel, located in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, to choose Pope Francis’ successor.

• Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/vYQgYr47Vy

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

During his homily at the pre-conclave Holy Mass on Wednesday, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re emphasized that unity of the Catholic Church.

LOOK: Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, takes a solemn oath of secrecy ahead of the papal conclave today, May 7.

David, who also serves as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, is one of three Filipinos among the 133 cardinal… pic.twitter.com/rilavZ7Iuu

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

LOOK: Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, takes his solemn oath of secrecy ahead of the papal conclave today, May 7.

Advincula is one of three Filipinos among the 133 cardinal electors, together with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David. | 📸:… pic.twitter.com/Q1giLdqOaZ

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

Cardinals electing a new pope began taking an oath of secrecy Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel before being locked into the conclave.

LOOK: The 133 cardinal electors take an oath of secrecy ahead of the papal conclave today, May 7. | 📷: Vatican News

•⁠ ⁠Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/alRlkKWMkn

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

A Filipino seminarian was the cross-bearer in the Holy Mass for the Papal conclave at the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday.

LOOK: The 133 cardinal electors begin their procession to the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave today, May 7. | 📸: Vatican News

• Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYLAp pic.twitter.com/b2cBLd8qkC

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

The 133 Catholic cardinals who will elect a new pope gathered Wednesday to pray in the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel ahead of the conclave.

LOOK: The 133 cardinal electors gather in the Pauline Chapel, where they will begin their procession to the Sistine Chapel for the papal conclave. | 📸: Vatican News

• Follow live updates on the #Conclave: https://t.co/v7XlpwYdKR pic.twitter.com/Ubf975K5CJ

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) May 7, 2025

Pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square watch Mass on a giant Jumbotron, as the proceedings inside the Pauline and Sistine Chapels remain off-limits to the public.

Teodoro Bacani Jr. said that praying to the Holy Spirit will give the cardinals the wisdom to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church.

The dean of the College of Cardinals urged electors to choose a pope who can guide the Church through a “difficult and complex turning point in history.”

Cardinals from five continents held a final mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday before sealing themselves away to elect a new pope.

133 cardinals from 70 nations begin conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor, in the most globally diverse and secretive papal vote in Church history.

Cardinal electors should not think the conclave is for them but to determine who among them will be chosen as the next pope.

When cardinals vote in the conclave, they then burn their ballots, sending up black smoke to signal no decision or white smoke to show they have chosen a new pope.

Papal conclaves don’t just elect the next pope — they mark turning points in the history of the Catholic Church and, often, the wider world

As cardinals follow solemn tradition and enter the conclave starting Wednesday to choose Pope Francis’s successor, bookies are reveling in huge bets.

When the Sistine Chapel doors lock today, cardinals enter one of the most polarized and contested papal elections in modern Church history.

The Catholic cardinals gathered ahead of the conclave to elect a new pope called on Tuesday for ceasefires and peace negotiations in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Three Filipino cardinals eligible to enter the Vatican conclave had been sent to Vatican City for the papal election, the CBCP said.

Though they can’t vote, 900 female Catholic order leaders met in Rome as cardinals prepare to elect a new pope just miles away in a historic conclave.

Cardinals wrapped up their pre-conclave meetings Tuesday, trying to identify a possible new pope who could follow Pope Francis.

Cardinals from around the globe moved into a Vatican guest house ahead of the conclave to choose Pope Francis’s successor.

Cardinals wrapped up their pre-conclave meetings Tuesday, trying to identify a possible new pope who could follow Pope Francis.

As the world turns its eyes on the conclave, Cardinal David is considered as a “papabile” and even a “dark horse” candidate.

The first clue of the next pope’s direction will be the name the winner chooses.

Papal conclaves are governed by the utmost secrecy. Cardinal electors surrender all personal devices and cut off every link to the outside world.

Cardinals from around the world will meet under Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church.

Hype has been building on social media around the Catholic Church’s secretive, centuries-old tradition of conclaves to elect a new pope.

Cardinals will on Tuesday begin moving into the Vatican accommodation where they will stay during the conclave, on the eve of their historic vote.

The Vatican said it would cut the phone signal within the tiny city state during the conclave to elect a new pope — but this would not affect St Peter’s Square.

During a papal election, cardinals give up all communication—phones, email, social media—as they enter total seclusion inside the Sistine Chapel.

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is sometimes called the “Asian Francis” because of his infectious smile, easy laugh, and spontaneity with words.

Locations in the Vatican where the new pope’s election will play out in the coming days are part of a priceless cultural heritage.

Cardinals don’t vote by region, but geography offers clues to their priorities as they choose the next pope for the 1.4-billion strong Catholic Church.

Cardinals from all over the world are poised to elect a successor to Pope Francis at the conclave that begins Wednesday.

If the next pope is from sub-Saharan Africa, he would be the first in Catholic Church history. Catholic Africans think it is a long shot.

Pope Francis left much unfinished business for his successor—from the Vatican’s disastrous finances to discontent among traditionalists.

The film “Conclave” spotlights papal elections, but the centuries-old tradition of voting for a pope is rich in ritual, drama, and fascinating trivia.

Rome buzzes with blooms and tourists, while cardinals mingle privately to weigh who should succeed Pope Francis—just like before Francis was elected.

Besides its masterpieces by Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel is undergoing a makeover ahead of a conclave to decide the Catholic Church’s new pope.

He said in the United Kingdom, about 30,000 pounds (almost $40,000) have been wagered as of this week with one leading betting platform.

Firefighters installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Friday that will emit white smoke to signal the election of a new pope.

Cardinals say Becciu’s conviction isn’t final as he skips conclave amid ongoing appeal in Vatican’s “trial of the century” over embezzlement charges.

A week before the conclave, preparatory talks intensified as cardinals sounded out potential candidates — with many hoping the election will be quick.

There are no official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals are considered “papabile,” or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope.

Vatican post offices and selected collectors’ shops started selling special stamps marking the period between Pope Francis’ death and the election of his successor.

A seasoned diplomat who worked with Pope Francis for 12 years, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is well-known and a serious contender to be the next pontiff.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle was named as one of the cardinals who will assist the camerlengo to start preparations for the May 7 conclave.

The Vatican’s criminal court convicted Cardinal Angelo Becciu in 2023 of embezzlement and other finance-related charges.

For decades, the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests was covered up by the Church. But cardinals on Monday listed it as a key challenge for the next pope.

Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle was tasked to assist the prelate appointed by the late Pope to oversee Vatican City’s administrative duties

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a convicted embezzler, will not take part in the conclave to elect the new Catholic leader, Italian media reported Monday.

Catholic cardinals on Monday set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor..

Red-hatted cardinals were expected to pick a date Monday for the conclave to elect a new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

For Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David, the selection process for the next pope should not be turned into “a worldly spectacle.”

Cardinals are debating whether a convicted cardinal can join the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor.

With Pope Francis laid to rest, all eyes turn now to the conclave, the secretive meeting of cardinals set to convene within days to elect a new pope.

Cardinals in meetings ahead of the start of a secret conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis are scratching the hair under their red

As the Vatican prepares for the secret meeting of cardinals who will pick a successor to Pope Francis, forget—to some extent—what

As the Vatican began process to choose the next pope, here are the terms you might encounter during the entire transition.

With the death of Pope Francis, attention now turns to the selection of his successor which will be done in a conclave.

During the upcoming conclave, the cardinal-electors will gather in the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to Pope Francis in a highly-secretive process.