Catholics all over the world can heartily sing again and afresh the special phrase, “God bless our Pope, the Great, the Good” from the time-honoured hymn, “Full in the Panting Heart of Rome”, which expresses devotion and praise for the Pope. The hymn is sung during papal events and is a way for Catholics to express their support and prayers for the Pope. This time, the hymn has a special meaning because it will be sung for a new Pope, the Bishop of Rome, Head of the Vatican State and leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Yes, a new Pope has been elected from among the 133 Cardinals that went into the conclave in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, which began on Wednesday 7th May 2025, in just 2 days, with the chimney pumping out black smoke 3 times. The Cardinals elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States as the 267th Pope at 5.08pm Nigerian time, 6.08pm Vatican time.
Since 1900, the average conclave has lasted three days. Pius X (elected in 1903) took 5 days; Pius XI (1922) 5; Benedict XV (1914), 4; John XXIII (1958) – 4; Paul VI (1963) – 3; John Paul II (1978) – 3; Pius XII (1939) – 2; John Paul I (1978) -2; Benedict XVI (2005) – 2; and Francis (2013) – 2 days.
In a regular conclave, after the first day vote, there are four votes daily, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. After the final morning and afternoon votes, ballots are burned in a specially installed furnace and mixed with a different compound of chemicals depending on the result: black smoke for no decision, white for a two-thirds majority and a new pope — “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”).
But at 5.08pm this day, the chimney bellowed out the white smoke and the announcement, Habemus Papam was made by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals.
The announcement brings freedom of some sort to the cardinals who had been sequestered and out of the public eye for the period of the election. Late Pope Francis appointed 108 of the 133 cardinal electors. In total, 52 are from Europe, 23 each from Asia and Latin America, 17 from Africa, 14 from the U.S.
Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world, followed by Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By all standards, this conclave attracted the most attention with publicity, technology and the dynamism that has taken over the world in the last three pontificates.
The longest conclave on record took nearly three years. That was the election of a successor to Pope Clement IV in 1268 which dragged on for about 1,000 days.
Taking the name Leo XIV, the new Pope replaces Pope Francis who died on Easter Monday, 21st April 2025 and was buried on Saturday April 26.
The names that new Popes adopt always reflect their goal and vision for their pontificate, so there is something in a name this time around and they do matter.
The most common Pope name has been John and in the history of the papacy, John, was first chosen in 523 by Saint John I, according to the Vatican. The last Pope to choose that name was Italian Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, elected Pope John XXIII, in 1958. John has been chosen by 23 Popes, followed by Benedict and Gregory, each with 16.
Other popular pope names include Clement, Innocent, Leo, and Pius. Seven of 11 popes from 1775 to 1958 were named Pius, from Pius VI (1775–1799) to Pius XII (1939–1958).
The new Pope Leo XIV (14), as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A., has been Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo. He was born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago, United States. In 1977 he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel, in Saint Louis. On 29 August 1981 he gave his solemn vows. He studied at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, receiving a diploma in theology.
At the age of 27 he was sent by the Order to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University. He received priestly ordination on 19 June 1982. He received his licentiate in 1984, and was then sent to work in the mission of Chulucanas, in Piura, Peru (1985-1986).
In 1987 he was awarded a doctorate with the thesis: “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine”. In the same year he was elected director of vocations and director of the missions of the Augustinian province of “Mother of Good Counsel” of Olympia Fields, Illinois, United States of America. In 1988 he was sent to the mission of Trujillo as director of the joint formation project for Augustinian aspirants in the Vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos and Apurímac. There he served as community prior (1988-1992), director of formation (1988-1998) and teacher of the professed (1992-1998). In the archdiocese of Trujillo he was judicial vicar (1989-1998), and professor of canon, patristic and moral law in the “San Carlos e San Marcelo” Major Seminary.
In 1999 he was elected provincial prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” province, Chicago. After two and a half years, the ordinary general Chapter elected him prior general, a ministry again entrusted to him in the 2007 ordinary general Chapter. In October 2013 he returned to his province (Chicago) to serve as teacher of the professed and provincial vicar, roles he held 3 November 2014, when Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, elevating him to the dignity of bishop and assigning him the titular diocese of Sufar. On 7 November he took canonical possession of the diocese in the presence of the apostolic nuncio James Patrick Green; he was ordained a bishop on 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the cathedral of his diocese. He served as bishop of Chiclayo from 26 November 2015. In March 2018 he became second vice president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in 2019, and member of the Congregation for Bishops in 2020.
On 15 April 2020, the Pope appointed him apostolic administrator of the diocese of Callao and on 30 January 2023 Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Prevost as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of 30 September 2023, of the Deaconry of Santa Monica.
He is a member of the Dicasteries for Evangelization, Section for first evangelization and the new particular Churches; the Doctrine of the Faith; the Eastern Churches; the Clergy; the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life; Culture and Education; Legislative Texts; and the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.
Exciting times ahead for Catholics worldwide and the world as a whole.
IMAGE CREDIT: BBC TV
