Context:

White smoke was seen emerging from the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a new pope has been elected by the papal conclave. The conclave began deliberations on Wednesday and concluded the voting on Thursday, which is relatively quick compared to previous conclaves. The identity of the new pope has not yet been announced, but the process requires a two-thirds majority vote from the eligible cardinals. Historically, Pope Francis and Pope Benedict were also elected on the second day of their respective conclaves. The newly elected pope must accept the role and choose a papal name before the conclave is officially concluded.

Dive Deeper:

• The papal conclave, a centuries-old process, convened on Wednesday to select a new leader for the Catholic Church, with white smoke from the Sistine Chapel signaling the successful election of a pope on Thursday.

• The conclave is composed of cardinals under the age of 80, with a two-thirds majority required to elect a new pope, and 133 out of 252 cardinals participated in the voting process.

• While the name of the new pope has yet to be announced, the process of election is considered quick, with the conclave concluding by the second day in this instance.

• Historically, electing a pope on the first day, as in 1503 with Pope Julius II, is rare, but recent conclaves have also concluded within a few days, such as Pope Francis on the fifth ballot in 2013.

• The newly elected pope must accept the position and decide on a papal name, after which the conclave is officially concluded and the new pope is revealed to the public.

• Both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict were elected on the second day of their respective conclaves, highlighting the relatively swift decision-making of recent conclaves compared to earlier centuries.

• The process emphasizes the significance of tradition and the role of the College of Cardinals in maintaining continuity within the Catholic Church's leadership.