On April 21st, 2025, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church died at the age of 88. Since then, the cardinals that participate in the election have chosen a new pope. But how do the cardinals go through with electing one, and what will this new leader be like?

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, immediately after the position of pope is absent, the cardinals hold meetings called general congregations. In these meetings, they discuss issues that the Catholic Church is facing, and they prepare for the upcoming election of the pope, called a conclave. The conclave will take place 15 to 20 days after the resignation or death of the former pope. The cardinals take an oath of secrecy, and then vote by anonymous ballot. The cardinals will vote four times a day everyday until there is a two-thirds majority among the voters. On the days that the cardinals have not been able to choose a pope, they will burn black smoke out of the Sistine Chapel. On the day they do decide, they will burn white smoke and bring the new pope out onto the balcony for everyone to see.

In the most recent election for the replacement of Pope Francis, it took only two days. The new elected pope was chosen on May 8th, 2025. According to the BBC, his name is Robert Francis Prevost. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 14th, 1955, and he will be the first American pope in the history of the church. He will go by the name of Leo XIV during his term. According to Vatican News, Prevost worked in Trujillo, Peru, for 11 years as a missionary. In 2015, he was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, Peru and served until 2023. The country is very important to him, and he considers himself to be equally a citizen of the United States and of Peru. 

People are excited and hopeful for this new era of the Catholic church, and it is expected that he will follow the principles set by Pope Francis.