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Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!

I announce to you with great joy: we have a pope!


Cipriano , Gianni . 8 May 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/world/europe/pope-leo-cardinal-prevost-obstacles.html. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]
Cipriano , Gianni . 8 May 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/world/europe/pope-leo-cardinal-prevost-obstacles.html. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]

These words were spoken by Cardinal Protodeacon who announced the new pope to the world on May 8, 2025. Soon  after the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the Vatican initiated the conclave procedure to select his successor. During the two days of the conclave, almost 133 cardinal electors from around the world chose American Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. How the conclave procedure was carried out and who were the papabili? What are the views of the new pope and are they comparable to those of his predecessors?


The late Pope Francis has been struggling with pneumonia since the beginning of the year. On April 21, 2025, Easter Monday, he died at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in the Vatican. The funeral took place according to the procedures four days after his death. After that, there was a nine-day mourning, and 15 days after his death, the conclave, or election of the successor to the bishop of Rome, took place. Over 130 cardinals came from 70 countries of the world from all six inhabited continents to elect a new pope. During the conclave, the Sistine Chapel and the house of Santa Marta (Domus Sanctae Marthae) where it takes place are completely cut off from the outside world. Signal jammers cut off the cardinals' access to the mobile network, Bluetooth or any other connection to other people that could affect their vote. Everyday cardinals swear not to reveal anything about voting and participate in morning mass.

On the first day, May 7, 2025, black smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating a failure to vote and not to obtain a 2/3 majority for any candidate. On the second day, three votes were held: two in the morning, which ended in failure, and one in the afternoon, during which white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating the election of a new pope.


For a few intense days the whole world wondered who would replace Pope Francis? A candidate for the new pope must meet several criteria. First, he must be a baptized Christian man. Since, once elected, the pope automatically becomes the bishop of Rome according to Catholic law, every bishop must be 35 years old. So these criteria narrow down the search for the Head of the Vatican State. A dozen or so cardinals' names were on the exchange of names of papabili, or favorites for this year's conclave. The most frequently mentioned were: the current Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines. Cardinal Prevost was also counted among the papabile, but as a rather distant choice. However, the old saying in Rome is that he who enters a conclave as a pope exits as a cardinal, meaning there's no guarantee one of these men will actually be chosen.

Beltrán, Edgar . Pope Leo XIV during an Audience with the Media ,  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV#/media/File:Pope_Leo_XIV_3_(3x4_cropped).png. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]
Beltrán, Edgar . Pope Leo XIV during an Audience with the Media , en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV#/media/File:Pope_Leo_XIV_3_(3x4_cropped).png. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]


So the question is: who exactly is Robert Prevost, now also known as Pope Leo XIV?


Robert Prevost is different from Jose Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis. However, the things they have in common include a progressive approach to climate change. Pope Leo XIV has a much more conservative approach to the LGBTQ+ community, while Pope Francis has pushed the church toward inclusivity. In addition, he is known for criticizing the Donald Trump administration and JD Vance for, among other things, his approach to immigration.


It is not yet known what the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV will bring us. Everyone is eagerly awaiting each next statement from the Pope on the war in Ukraine, the LGBT community, or the role of women in the church.


Bibliography


TVN24 “Kardynał Robert Prevost a Administracja Donalda Trumpa. Jak Nowy Papież Odnosił Się Do Polityki USA.” Tvn24, 8 May 2025, tvn24.pl/swiat/kardynal-robert-prevost-a-administracja-donalda-trumpa-jak-nowy-papiez-odnosil-sie-do-polityki-usa-st8451489. [Accessed 29 May 2025]


Padilla, Mariel, and Mariel Padilla. “What Pope Leo XIV Has Said About LGBTQ+ People, Immigration and Abortion.” The 19th, 9 May 2025, 19thnews.org/2025/05/pope-leo-american-chosen-robert-francis-prevost. [Accessed 29 May 2025]


Wikipedia contributors. “Papal Conclave.” Wikipedia, 25 May 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_conclave#Modern_practice. [Accessed 29 May 2025]


Wikipedia contributors. “Pope Francis.” Wikipedia, 29 May 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]


Wikipedia contributors. “Pope Leo XIV.” Wikipedia, 29 May 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]


Wróblewska, Urszula. “Konklawe. Papabili, Czyli Kto Ma Szanse Zostać Nowym Papieżem.” GazetaPrawna.pl, 7 May 2025, www.gazetaprawna.pl/wiadomosci/swiat/artykuly/9792267,konklawe-papabili-czyli-kto-ma-szanse-zostac-nowym-papiezem.html. [Accessed 29 May 2025.]



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