A New Pope, A New Hope? By: Muhammad Abdelilah

Pope Francis died on the morning of April 21st, 2025, the day after Easter. The leader of the Catholic Church, with its 1.4 billion faithful, had passed. After the necessary processions and protocols, the Papal Conclave met on the 7th of May. During a Conclave, no outside press is allowed, and the Cardinals are isolated from the outside world. Until a 2/3rds majority is reached, the Conclave remains disconnected. The process can be swift. It can happen in under a week, in a few days, or last for years. In less than two days, the white smoke appeared from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. A new Pope had been elected.

So, who is the new leader of the second-largest religious denomination? Robert Francis Prevost, an American hailing from Chicago, has won the Papal election and has selected the name Pope Leo XIV (that's 14th for those who don’t know.) He is a dual American-Peruvian citizen, having spent years in Peru doing missionary work. He was appointed to the Cardinalship by the late Pope Francis in January 2023. Pope Leo XIV seems to be more moderate-conservative when compared to his predecessor. He evokes the duty of the church to help combat climate change, he is against euthanasia, the death penalty, and abortion. He had criticized Trump’s handling of immigration and is also a known White Sox fan. Being 69 years old, it is realistic to assume that he has many years of Papal rule ahead of him.