when is new pope announced

The new pope was officially elected during the papal conclave that began on May 7, 2025. The conclave took place in the Sistine Chapel with 133 cardinal electors under the age of 80 participating in the secret voting process. The election required a two-thirds majority vote, which was at least 89 votes. After four rounds of ballots over two days, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope and took the name Leo XIV. The conclave followed centuries- old traditions with voting rounds held up to four times a day. The voting process was marked by the traditional use of smoke signals from the chapel chimney: black smoke indicated no decision while white smoke signaled a successful election. In summary, the new pope was announced on May 8, 2025, after the conclave that started on May 7, 2025.