Beginning in 1274 with Pope Gregory X, the papal or holy conclave has been cemented as a sacred part of Vatican City, a 5,274 square foot area that is considered the center of Catholicism in the modern world.
In late April, Pope Francis succumbed to a stroke only a short period after the celebration of Easter Sunday and Jesus Christ’s resurrection after being crucified. He was not only the first Jesuit pope, but the first Latin American pope, and the first pope to be elected outside of Europe since the 8th century, after Syrian Pope Gregory III. He was known as exceedingly kind, celebrating all walks of life and culture, and accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. He also publicly criticized numerous political figures in the U.S administration, such as Vice President J.D. Vance, upon the VP’s visit to the Vatican.
Resulting from the death of Pope Francis is a largely anticipated event known as the papal or holy conclave. While movies have come out in the past year or so, such as Edward Berger’s film Conclave in 2024, non-Catholics have little to no knowledge of how a conclave operates. The 2025 papal conclave began with drama, as Cardinal Angelo Becciu – who was forced to resign on the orders of Pope Francis as a result of his financial misconduct allegations in 2020 – attempted to argue he had the right to advocate for the papal position. Later, through an attorney statement, he retracted his words, following the “will of Pope Francis…while remaining convinced of my innocence”. Though the histrionics brought worldwide interest, it also begged the question: Who is qualified to be a pope?
First, it is important to recognize the secrecy of a conclave, as it is derived from a Latin term to mean “A room that can be locked up”. Taking place in the Sistine Chapel with a special mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, the conclave proceeds in a form of rounds. There is no outside communication from the cardinals voting, and they vote in specific segments of the day. On the first day, there is only one vote, and then for the successive days, they vote twice in the afternoon and twice in the morning. At the conclusion of the day’s voting, smoke will either pour out of the Sistine Chapel as white – they have elected a Pope – or black – they have not elected a Pope.
The apostolic constitution firmly states that a pope can only be chosen by a two-thirds majority of the ballots. Cardinals – the eldest clergy in the Catholic Church sans the Pope – under 80 are able to vote and advocate for papacy. 135 of the Catholic Church’s 252 cardinals voted in the most recent pontiff.
Traditionally, any baptized Catholic is eligible to be elected, regardless of whether or not they’re a member of the clergy. However, this is ordained under canon law, not necessarily the societal laws of the College. For the past 600 years, the College of Cardinals has picked a fellow cardinal to lead the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
On May 8th of 2025, white smoke blew out of the Church, and the first American Pope was elected, 69-year-old Pope Leo XIV.
Born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14th, 1955, Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago, Illinois. He studied at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Father and then Villanova University in Pennsylvania, earning a Degree in Mathematics and studying philosophy. He received his religious education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. After being sent to Rome at the age of 27, he studied Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Then, he was ordained as a priest on June 19th, 1982, and obtaining his licentiate in 1984, he was sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru (1985-1986). He was appointed vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel” in Olympia Fields, Illinois, USA. In the subsequent year of 1988, he went on a mission trip in Trujillo, Peru. There he served as a member of the community for eleven years. He was a parish priest at Saint Rita and aided the impoverished of Latin America. In 2013, he returned to Chicago, being the director of formation at the Saint Augustine Convent. His episcopal motto has been ascertained as “In Illo uno unum”, which translates to “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.” From 2015 to 2023, he served as a Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru. He was deigned Cardinal in September of 2024 and was assigned the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
Pope Leo XIV shares many of the same values as Pope Francis. His order stresses values of “truth, unity, and love”. Leo opposes the idea of ascertaining female deacons, is outspoken about climate change, and is welcoming of migrants. Though he has historically been a registered Republican in primary elections, it is unknown who he voted for in the 2024 presidential election. Despite the lack of clarity, he has retweeted on X critical statements of the Trump administration on ideas of hierarchies of love in Christianity and the immigrant crisis currently occurring. He has stood up against racism, retweeting prayers for George Floyd, and supports COVID-19 vaccinations. Despite his largely progressive stances, he has not been outright critical nor supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, and has moved to deny notions of teaching gender and sexuality in school.
While Pope Leo XIV has been received warmly by many Catholic-Americans as a symbol of the nation’s pride for an American pope, he has also faced criticism. An ally of President Donald Trump, Laura Loomer, called him a “WOKE MARXIST POPE” in the media. Despite the AI-generated photos of Trump created and posted, the U.S president congratulated Leo on Truth Social the day of his papal election.
With the election of a new Pope comes challenges and extreme influence. Many countries with a Catholic majority are often persuaded by the new Pope’s stances on certain social, economic, and political issues, as well as Catholic communities in non-Catholic majority states. The Vatican Church has a long history and outreach in the Western hemisphere; furthermore, with a new Pope comes new power hierarchies. There will likely be extreme shifts and minute changes in the Catholic church within the up-and-coming months, following crucial decisions and decrees made by the Pope. Though it’s vital to remember Pope Francis’ legacy and accomplishments, it will also be exciting to see a change in power and policy in the church.
Works Cited
Jazeera, Al. “When and How Did Pope Francis Die? A Look at the Pontiff’s Last Days.” Al Jazeera, 22 Apr. 2025, www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/when-and-how-did-pope-francis-die-a-look-at-the-pontiffs-last-days. Accessed 10 May 2025.
News, Vatican. “Biography of Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV.” Vaticannews.va, Vatican News, 8 May 2025, www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-05/biography-of-robert-francis-prevost-pope-leo-xiv.html.
Straughan, Peter, and Robert Harris. “Conclave.” IMDb, 25 Oct. 2024, www.imdb.com/title/tt20215234/.
Treisman, Rachel. “Pope Leo’s Stance on Key Issues, from Climate Change to LGBTQ+ Rights to U.S. Politics.” NPR, 9 May 2025, www.npr.org/2025/05/09/nx-s1-5393705/pope-leo-stance-issues-lgtbq-climate-women-politics. Accessed 10 May 2025.