Papal conclave May 2025
Dates and location
7–8 May 2025 Sistine Chapel, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City
Key officials
Dean	Giovanni Battista Re
Sub-dean	Leonardo Sandri
Camerlengo	Kevin Farrell
Protopriest	Michael Michai Kitbunchu
Protodeacon	Dominique Mamberti
Secretary	Ilson de Jesus Montanari
Election
Electors	133 (list)
Candidates	See papabili
Ballots	4
Elected pope
Robert Francis Prevost Name taken: Leo XIV
← 2013

A papal conclave was held on 7 and 8 May 2025 to elect a new pope to succeed Francis, who had died on 21 April 2025. Of the 135 eligible cardinal electors, all but two attended. On the fourth ballot, the conclave elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. After accepting his election, he took the papal name Leo XIV.

The papal election process began soon after the death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025. As in the 2013 papal conclave, the dean and vice-dean of the College of Cardinals were both over 80 and ineligible to participate. The most senior cardinal bishop under 80, Pietro Parolin, presided over the conclave.^[1]

According to John Paul II's 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici gregis, as modified by Benedict XVI's 2013 motu proprio (Latin for 'on his own impulse') Normas nonnullas,^[2][3] the cardinals had at least 15 days after the Holy See became vacant to convene. The cardinals had the discretion to start the conclave earlier or up to 20 days after the pope's cathedra became vacant.^[2] On 28 April 2025, two days after Francis's funeral,^[4] the fifth general congregation of the cardinals set the conclave to begin on 7 May 2025.^[5][6]

Cardinal electors by region

Region	Number
Italy	17
Rest of Europe	35
North America	20
South America	17
Asia	23
Oceania	4
Africa	17
Total	133

Cardinals aged 80 years or older before the day the papacy fell vacant were ineligible to participate. After Francis's death, there were 252 cardinals, of whom 135 were under 80 and eligible to participate;^[7] of the potential electors, 108 (80%) were appointed cardinals by Francis,^[8][9] and were from more than 70 countries.^[10]

Since the 1975 promulgation of Romano Pontifici eligendo and Universi Dominici gregis by Pope Paul VI, the maximum number of cardinal electors had been set at 120.^[11][12] At 133, the 2025 conclave was the largest ever,^[13] and the first conclave where this number was exceeded on the day the papacy became vacant.^[a][14] Any cardinal under the age of 80 not having renounced or lost his voting rights has the right to vote in a conclave under Catholic canon law. A pope appointing more than 120 eligible cardinal electors effectively renders the 1975 limit inapplicable,^[15] as popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis all did;^[14] although in the cases of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the 120 limit at the conclave was respected.^[11]

On 30 April 2025, the general congregation of cardinals confirmed that all cardinal electors present for the conclave beginning on 7 May could vote.^[16] Ineligible cardinals could nevertheless attend the general congregations and participate in discussions preceding the conclave.^[17] Although the conclave cardinals have the authority to elect any Catholic male who has been baptized,^[3] the last time a non-cardinal was elected was in the 1378 papal conclave.^[18][19]

After saying he would try to participate in the conclave,^[20] Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu of Italy, who had renounced his rights as a cardinal due to a financial scandal,^[21] said he would abide by Francis's wish that he refrain from participating.^[22] Health problems prevented cardinals Antonio Cañizares Llovera of Spain and John Njue of Kenya from participating in the conclave,^[23] reducing the number of participants to 133; accordingly, the required two-thirds supermajority needed to elect a pope was 89 votes. This was the largest number of cardinal electors ever to participate in a conclave.^[24]

Francis's hospitalization in February and March 2025 fueled speculation about an impending conclave.^[25] Due to the major international expansion of the membership of the College of Cardinals under Pope Francis to 252, with over 140 non-European cardinals appointed during his pontificate, some observers had suggested a non-European pope was likely.^[7][15] The 2025 conclave was initially planned to have 135 electors from 71 countries; the 2013 and 2005 conclaves had had 115 electors from 48 and 52 countries respectively. Some of the participating cardinals did not speak Italian, the working language of the Roman Curia.^[26]

Following the Italian saying "fat pope, thin pope", some commentators predicted that Francis's successor would be more conservative.^[15][27] There were also concerns of interference, which had been prohibited in 1996 by John Paul II,^[28] and a potential hostile takeover by ultraconservative politicians and Catholics.^[29][30] As of the third and fourth general congregations, there was reportedly a desire among the cardinals for a ten-year pope, someone in his late seventies with experience in the Roman Curia who would be more focused on internal affairs.^[31]

Some commentators posited a younger pope as more likely,^[32] while others felt that cardinals like Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Robert Prevost were too young.^[7][33][34] Many cardinals expressed hope for a short conclave, as in 2005 and 2013.^[35] Given the complexities and heterogeneity of this conclave,^[36] compared to the one that elected Pope Francis in two days in 2013,^[37] Cardinal Rainer Woelki expected the 2025 conclave to take longer;^[37] the Cardinals Louis Raphaël I Sako and Gregorio Rosa Chávez anticipated a short conclave of two or three days,^[38][39] with the latter remarking "maximum three days".^[40][41]

Vaticanologists consider (by a variety of criteria) some cardinals to be more likely to become pope than others – these are the papabili (the plural for papabile), Italian for "pope-able".^[42] In practice, however, conclaves have not always chosen one of the papabili. Prior to his election in the October 1978 conclave, John Paul II was not considered to be in the running.^[43] This is reflected in the saying "He who enters the conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal,"^[44] although the frontrunner is often elected pope, as was the case in 1939 (Pius XII), 1963 (Paul VI), and 2005 (Benedict XVI).^[45] Anna Rowlands, a Vaticanologist, suggested that attempts to predict the conclave's outcome were based in "pure speculation".^[46] Media worldwide released papabili analyses on the day of Pope Francis's death.^[47] Papabili mentioned in the media included Anders Arborelius, Jean-Marc Aveline, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Timothy Dolan, Wim Eijk, Péter Erdő, Fernando Filoni, William Goh, Mario Grech, Claudio Gugerotti, Pietro Parolin, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Malcolm Ranjith, Robert Sarah, Marcello Semeraro, Luis Antonio Tagle, José Tolentino de Mendonça, Peter Turkson, Lazarus You Heung-sik, and Matteo Zuppi.^[48][49][50]

Robert Prevost, the eventual elected pope, was speculated on as papabile,^[51][52][53] being the prefect of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops,^[54] an ally of Pope Francis, and a possible compromise candidate;^[55][56] however, he was considered a dark horse,^[49] and his American nationality had been regarded as a potential stumbling block to his candidacy, reflecting unease about enhancing the United States's geopolitical power after the re-election of Donald Trump in 2024.^[49][57] Supporters argued that Prevost represented a "dignified middle of the road".^[55] Some commentators felt that a non-European pope was likely due to the increased numbers of African and Asian cardinals,^[7][15] which reportedly ultimately collapsed Parolin's candidacy.^[50] By contrast, others felt that a European pope was a more likely outcome,^[49] remaining convinced that the reasons for why an American pope had never been elected before, namely the American status as superpower,^[58][59] still applied. Reverend James Bretzke, a theology professor at John Carroll University in Ohio, told USA Today that the best possible candidate was one who could be a diplomat, adding: "America's image in the world simply is too powerful – and to be blunt, ugly."^[49]

Betting on papal conclaves has a long history, and several Internet gambling companies offered markets on the 2025 conclave. Before the announcement of the conclave itself, prediction markets were using market mechanisms to calculate both who might be in the running and their putative rankings.^[60][61][62] On 21 April, the top five contenders were Tagle, Parolin, Zuppi, Ambongo, and Erdo, all of which had been cited by Vatican journalists and analysts as papabili. By 1 May, six days before the conclave, the top five contenders as per Sports Interaction in Ontario were Parolin, Tagle, Zuppi, Turkson, and Sarah.^[63] On the day of the election of Prevost, who took the name Pope Leo XIV, the leading candidates on Polymarket were Parolin at 37%, Tagle at 26%, Pizzaballa at 10%, Erdo at 8%, Turkson at 7%, Sarah at 4%, and Zuppi at 3%. Parolin's odds to be named as the new pope jumped to nearly 70% after the white smoke was revealed, with many suspecting that the relatively short 4-round conclave indicated a consensus candidate had been chosen.^[64]

Following the death of Pope Francis, preparations began at Domus Sanctae Marthae for housing the cardinal electors. These included setting up barriers or opaque film at the windows to prevent outside contact and the construction of spaces for the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance, private prayer, and meals.^[65][66] Signal jammers were used to isolate the electors from Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks.^[66][67][68] Because the building has only 129 bedrooms, it was necessary to provide accommodations for the 133 electors and support personnel,^[69][70][71] who stayed at Santa Marta Vecchia, next door to the main dormitory.^[72][73][74]

In the Sistine Chapel, preparations included the addition of tables and chairs in the manner of choir stalls and the covering of windows; the ballot-burning stove and the chimney, which together serve to signal the results to the outside world, were installed,^[75][76] as was a temporary wooden floor which served to protect the marble inlay, provide a more level surface, and hide electronic signal jammers.^[76][77] Both the Domus Sanctae Marthae and the Sistine Chapel were thoroughly inspected in advance of the conclave for any unauthorized devices.^[66] On 2 May, Vatican firefighters installed the chimney for the Sistine Chapel.^[78]

The Vatican Gendarmerie, under the leadership of Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti, faced many counter-espionage challenges in protecting conclave integrity.^[26][66][68] The Corps of Gendarmerie used the 650 security cameras in the Vatican, encrypted messaging, and endpoint detection and response to secure the conclave.^[68] Meals for the 2025 conclave featured simple dishes typical of Lazio and of Abruzzo, the regions of Italy nearest the Vatican.^[79]

According to Catholic canon law, general congregations are daily meetings of all cardinals regardless of elector status and begin before all of the elector cardinals arrive in Rome. The initial meetings are focused on the logistics of the papal funeral and the conclave, including physical preparations at the Domus Sanctae Marthae (as a dormitory) and the Sistine Chapel (as a polling place). Later ones, typically the eighth and following, shift to discussions about the needs of the church and the world, and the issues facing the Roman Curia.^[80][81][82] These later general congregations are guided by the reflections given by two "distinguished and morally authoritative" clerics who are selected by the cardinals.^[83] The cardinals are also given the opportunity to make formal remarks regarding the issues facing the church.^[84] All of these speeches and discussions are termed interventi ("interventions") in Italian.^[85] The general congregations meet in the New Synod Hall, on the first floor of the vestibule of the much larger Paul VI Audience Hall.^[86][87] For the 2025 conclave, the general congregations met every day from 22 April following Francis's death until 6 May,^[88] excluding 26–27 April,^[89] 1 May,^[90] and 4 May,^[91] with the beginning of the conclave proper on 7 May.^[92]

General congregations allow the cardinals to meet on their own initiative, thereby getting to know each other and exercise their spiritual discernment; many had never met,^[93] as Francis did not hold meetings of cardinals before his papal consistories.^[94][a] Furthermore, the cardinals have full access to global media and their diverse analyses and criteria for identifying the papabile.^[95] Before leaving for Rome on 24 April, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David stressed that a conclave is not a political campaign but a religious retreat. He also emphasized that it is a duty of the College of Cardinals to discern each other via prayer, personal letters, and even research on a website with biographical and other information set up for that purpose,^[96] and that it is not a matter of candidates.^[97] Both the formal and informal discussions are expected to be very substantive in preparation for, and in the hope of, a speedy conclave.^[98][99] The discussions held at cardinals' own initiative—pratiche, or exercises—are the most frank and candid.^[100] By canon law, the congregations are bound to the same secrecy as the conclave.^[101]

On 22 April, members of the papal staff and household were asked to vacate their rooms at the Domus Sanctæ Marthae following the death of Pope Francis in his suite on the second floor to allow for conclave preparations in that building to begin.^[65] The same day, the first of twelve general congregations were held. At the first congregation, the approximately sixty cardinals present listened to Kevin Farrell, the Cardinal Camerlengo, read the will and testament of Pope Francis. The canonization of Carlo Acutis, originally scheduled to take place in Rome on 27 April, was suspended, and the cardinals confirmed the date for the papal funeral. This meeting also dealt with the logistics of the funeral.^[102][103] The attending cardinals took the oath of secrecy concerning their meetings.^[104] Despite the fact that general congregations are closed to non-cardinals, Sister Simona Brambilla, a religious sister and the first woman to head a Vatican department (the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life), was accidentally sent a standard email inviting her to participate.^[105] On 23 April, the Vatican Museums announced the closure of the Sistine Chapel beginning on 28 April, due to the needs of the conclave.^[106][107] At the second congregation, the program for the novemdiales, or nine-day period of mourning for the deceased pope, was approved.^[108] Norberto Rivera Carrera stated that the discussions were mostly procedural in nature, as many cardinals from around the world were still traveling.^[109]

The third congregation on 24 April, with 113 cardinals present, saw the appointment of the two conclave preachers, Donato Ogliari and Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa.^[110][111] At the fourth general congregation on 25 April, the 149 cardinals in attendance listened to a presentation on the funeral rite for Pope Francis.^[112] By this time nearly 70 formal speeches, or "interventions", had been given.^[113] There was also discussion concerning the status of Giovanni Angelo Becciu as a cardinal elector among the participants, which continued in the following congregations until his 29 April acceptance of his non-elector status.^[21]

The fifth general congregation on 28 April decided that the conclave would begin on 7 May, 16 days after Pope Francis's death.^[5][114] This meeting also discussed the clerical sexual abuse crisis, challenges in evangelization, and ecumenism. Twenty cardinals delivered interventions.^[115] Conservative cardinals, such as Gerhard Müller and Francis Arinze (not an elector), were particularly vocal during this session.^[116][117] The next day, at the sixth congregation on 29 April, the start time for the conclave was set at 4:30 p.m., and Cardinal Re was chosen as the celebrant for the opening Mass for the conclave.^[118] Donato Ogliari gave his scheduled reflection to the 183 cardinals present, 124 of them being electors, and emphasized the theme of synodality from the Francis papacy.^{[116][118][119]}

The seventh congregation on 30 April featured a discussion of the Vatican's financial issues by the 180 cardinals present, 124 of whom were electors.^[120][121] Rainer Woelki stated that the meetings thus far had been "fraternal and cordial ... a very concentrated, calm, factual working atmosphere".^[37] Beniamino Stella made a very strongly-worded critique of Francis's decision to allow lay persons to exercise powers of church governance formerly reserved to clergy. This surprised many cardinals, as Stella was viewed as one of Francis's most trusted advisors and a prominent supporter of Parolin.^{[122][123][124]}

The general congregation did not meet on 1 May, the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, a public holiday for the Holy See and an ecclesiastical counterpart to the secular International Workers' Day observed on the same day.^[125] At the ninth congregation on 2 May, 177 cardinals were present, of whom 127 were electors. Twenty-six cardinals spoke. Among the subjects discussed were communion (koinonia) within the church and fraternity with the world, the hope that the next pope would be prophetic, and the 2025 Jubilee.^[126] The tenth and eleventh congregations were both held on 5 May and discussed a wide range of church topics.^[127][128] On 6 May, the twelfth and final congregation of the College of Cardinals took place.^[129] This congregation marked the death of Pope Francis with the destruction of his fisherman's ring and lead seal. It was the first time either ritual was digitally recorded and made visible to the public.^[129]

On 7 May, the conclave began. It was preceded by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrating the Mass pro eligendo Pontifice (lit. 'for the election of the Pontiff') in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m. CEST (08:00 UTC).^[130] All support staff, such as sacristans, medical staff, elevator operators, and the director of security services for the Vatican, along with officers and officials of the conclave, took their oath of secrecy on 5 May.^[73][131] At 4:30 p.m., the papal conclave officially began with a prayer service in the Pauline Chapel, at the end of which the electors entered the Sistine Chapel in procession. Once there, the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus ("Come, Creator Spirit") was sung and the 133 voting cardinals then swore themselves to secrecy.^{[77][118][132]} Each cardinal elector in order of seniority placed his hands on a Book of the Gospels and made the affirmation aloud in Latin.^[133]

Et ego [forename] Cardinalis [surname] spondeo, voveo ac iuro. Sic me Deus adiuvet et haec Sancta Dei Evangelia, quae manu mea tango.[134]

And I, [forename] Cardinal [surname], do so promise, pledge, and swear. So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand.[133]

While making the oath, several cardinals used the Latin forms of their names.^[135] Diego Ravelli, the papal master of ceremonies, then called out the words Extra omnes, a command for everyone who is not a cardinal elector to leave the chamber.^[135] He then shut the entrance to the Sistine Chapel at 5:46 p.m.^[132][135] Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa then offered a reflection to the cardinals following their procession into the conclave.^[136] Reportedly, the remarks lasted for over an hour, delaying the start of the first ballot; at one point, Cardinal Parolin asked the other cardinal electors present if they wanted to postpone the first vote until the next morning.^[137] Because the conclave began in the afternoon, only a single ballot was held on this day.^[5] According to some reports, Parolin, the frontrunner, received more than 40 votes on the first ballot, while the rest of the field was considerably split.^{[50][138][139]} According to other reports, Cardinal Prevost was the most voted candidate in the first ballot, slightly above Parolin, with Péter Erdő, one of the main conservative candidates, in third place.^[140][141] The first day of the conclave ended at 9:00 p.m., after black smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signifying that the vote had not resulted in the election of a new pope.^[135] Vatican Media reported that up to 45,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square.^[142]

The second day of the conclave began with two ballots, concluding at approximately 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., respectively.^[143] Black smoke appeared at 11:51 a.m., again signifying that no pope had been elected. Smoke is not necessarily produced after each ballot, as ballot cards from the two unsuccessful votes in a morning session or an afternoon session are usually burned together, producing smoke only at the end of each session.^{[144][145][146]} According to several reports, Cardinal Pietro Parolin received 40 to 50 votes but failed to gain support from African and Asian cardinals, some of whom started to support Prevost; Pope Francis's strongest supporters were divided between Cardinals Jean-Marc Aveline and Mario Grech, while most Asian cardinals split their votes between Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle and Pablo Virgilio David, both of whom were from the Philippines. Cardinal Prevost enjoyed broad support from South American and Anglosphere cardinals, thanks also to the strong support of Timothy Dolan, who acted as a kingmaker.^{[50][139][147]} The cardinals then returned to the Domus Sanctae Marthae for lunch, where the breadth of support for Prevost became clearer, with Parolin himself reportedly endorsing him.^[148]

By the end of the morning session, there were 15,000 people in St. Peter's Square and 5,000 people at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. More were expected during the afternoon session, since in the two most recent conclaves a new pope had been elected on either the fourth or fifth ballot.^[149] After the lunch recess, the cardinals returned to the Sistine Chapel for the next round of votes.^[148] Prevost was seated in the same place as the future Pope Francis had been at the 2013 conclave. The cardinals' support coalesced around Prevost, who received more than the two-thirds majority of 89 required, with more than 100 votes reported on the fourth ballot.^{[138][147][150]} Parolin, as the most senior cardinal in the conclave, asked Prevost if he accepted and what his papal name would be. Having accepted his election, Prevost chose the name Leo XIV,^[138] honoring Pope Leo XIII.^[151][152]

After the fourth round of voting, white smoke appeared at 6:07 p.m., followed by the ringing of the bells of St. Peter's Basilica to signify the election of a new pope.^{[153][154][155]} Soon afterwards, the Swiss Guard and members of the Italian Armed Forces, along with the bands of the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State and the Carabinieri, paraded through St. Peter's Square and took up formation beneath the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. From there, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced the election of Prevost,^[156] who had taken the papal name Leo XIV.^[157][158]

Following the pope's acceptance of his election, the cardinals applauded and he embraced them as soon as he exited the Sistine Chapel. Leo stepped onto the balcony shortly after the official announcement of his election, spoke to the crowd in Saint Peter's Square and the world in Italian and Spanish, expressed gratitude for the legacy of Pope Francis,^[159] and delivered the Urbi et Orbi blessing.^[156] Immediately after the appearance of white smoke, 40,000 were present in St. Peter's Square;^[160] according to Italian law enforcement, by the time of the Habemus papam announcement, there were up to 150,000 in the square.^[161]

After the conclave, Leo announced that his first major public event would be a celebration of Mass with the cardinals on 9 May at 11 a.m. in the Sistine Chapel. He also announced that his first Regina caeli would be on 11 May, delivered from the window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.^[162]

Both the United States and Peru celebrated the election of Leo XIV (who has dual nationality) as their own.^{[163][164][165]} Describing the moment when he cast his vote in the Sistine Chapel, the American prelate Cardinal Joseph Tobin said: "I took a look at Bob and he had his head in his hands and I was praying for him. And then when he accepted, it was like it was made for him."^[166] Archbishop of Chicago Blase Cupich said he thanked Prevost several times for accepting his election as pope.^[167] According to Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Prevost's American nationality was not a factor as he said they were most concerned with "who among us can bring us together, who among us can strengthen the faith and bring the faith to places where it has grown weak".^[166] The news was received with jubilation in the Diocese of Chiclayo,^[168][169] particularly among the clergy,^[170] and the Archdiocese of Lima celebrated by ringing the bells of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Lima.^[171]

The World Council of Churches congratulated Pope Leo XIV, with its general secretary Jerry Pillay stating: "We trust that he would continue to strengthen ecumenical collaboration, Christian unity, justice and peace in the world. We live in a world of multiple crises; together we can make a difference through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit."^[172][173]

Despite the secrecy of the conclave, cardinals often talk to the media in the aftermath to discuss some behind-the-scenes details, with some anonymous cardinals having disclosed vote tallies. Among the first was Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the several papabili discussed pre-conclave, who told Il Messaggero that as he perceived Prevost to be tense in the last round of voting, he offered him a candy.^[174] As he had told in the past, Tagle described the newly-elected pope as "very human, very humble, but very insightful".^[175] According to three anonymous cardinals, Prevost held his head in his hands as his name was read out loud on the final balloting.^[138] Mykola Bychok lightly joked that being shut off from the world for an extended time was the highlight of his life. He advised, "Just try ... try to turn off your phone at least for 24 hours – my phone was turned off for two and a half days", and added that the conclave was different from the 2024 film Conclave, which did not depict prayer until nearly at the end of the film.^[176] Vincent Nichols described the conclave as immensely peaceful and without rancor or politicking: no one said whom to vote for or whom not to vote for.^[177]

In an interview to the Catholic press agency of the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cardinal Vinko Puljić stated that the first ballot was "dispersive" but that from the second vote it was clear that the favorite was Prevost because "it was seen that he had the ability to be a leader" and in particular "the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis gave him strong support".^[178] According to Cardinal Gregory, Prevost did not make "any particular statement" during the pre-conclave General Congregations, and instead "engaged quite effectively" in smaller group discussions; Gregory said that there was no "extraordinarily convincing speech that enthused" the College of Cardinals but rather a constant dialogue among the cardinal electors.^[178] Reinhard Marx, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising and a progressive who was close to Pope Francis, would not talk about conclave discussions behind closed doors but said that before the doors of the Sistine Chapel were closed, small groups of cardinals would say, "What about this one, what about that one?", and he took note of Prevost. He stated, "That convinced me to say, this could be a possibility. We had a very good conversation. I realized he's a man who listens, takes arguments seriously, weighs them. You can't just place him into one camp — he really tries to build bridges. I liked that very much."^[166]

Various national leaders voiced their congratulations and comments regarding the election of the new pope.^[179][180]

•  Argentina – President Javier Milei tweeted in Spanish in all-caps, "The forces of Heaven have given their verdict clearly", while attaching an AI-generated image of a lion in papal robes, in reference of Leo, a Latin word for lion.^[180]
•  Australia – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on social media, "My heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on his election", calling it a "moment of joy", before asking for God's blessing.^[181]
•  Austria – Chancellor Christian Stocker tweeted in German, congratulating Pope Leo XIV on his election.^[180]
•  Azerbaijan – President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election, saying he was "confident that our fruitful cooperation with the Holy See will continue to develop successfully through our joint efforts in promoting universal values and creating the atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust among civilizations."^[182]
•  Brazil – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tweeted in Portuguese, congratulating Pope Leo XIV on his election and hoping the Pope "continues the legacy of Pope Francis".^[180]
•  Canada – Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a public statement, "Canadians offer best wishes to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as he begins his papacy. At a time of profound global challenges, may his pontificate be marked by wisdom, discernment, a deep commitment to common good, and dignity of all."^[183]
•  People's Republic of China – Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian issued congratulations on the election of Pope Leo XIV. He also stated that "under the leadership of the new pope, the Vatican will continue to have dialogue with China in a constructive spirit, have in-depth communication on international issues of mutual interest, jointly advance the continuous improvement of the China-Vatican relations and make contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity."^[184] Two government-affiliated Catholic groups, the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church in China, also congratulated the new Pope on his election.^[185]
•  Colombia – President Gustavo Petro stated that he hopes that Pope Leo XIV would become a great leader for people with migrant backgrounds around the world, encouraging Colombia's Latin American migrant brothers and sisters, that according to him faced humiliation in the United States under the current government.^[179]
•  Czech Republic – Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed joy of the election of the new pope and wished him "strength, wisdom and courage".^[186] President Petr Pavel sent congratulation to the pope and invited him to visit the country.^[187]
•  Ecuador – President Daniel Noboa tweeted in Spanish, welcoming Leo as the new Pope "with hope in our hearts".^[180]
•  European Union – European Council president António Costa, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and European Parliament president Roberta Metsola all sent congratulatory messages to the new Pope.^[180]
•  Finland – President Alexander Stubb congratulated the new pope, "My warmest congratulations to Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, on his election as Pope and head of the Catholic Church. The voice of Catholic Church is heard all over the world. May peace and dialogue remain at the core of your mission."^[188]
•  France – President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the new Pope with a message that went as followed: "To Pope Leo XIV, and to all Catholics in France and around the world, I extend a message of fraternity."^[179]
•  Germany – Chancellor Friedrich Merz congratulated the newly elected Pope, saying that through his role, he would provide "hope and guidance to millions of believers around the world in these challenging times".^[179]
•  Greece – Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave his congratulations online, highlighting the importance of the new Pope's leadership during "a time when the world faces profound challenges".^[189]
•  India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his "sincere felicitations and best wishes" for the new head of the Catholic Church via a tweet.^[180]
•  Indonesia – President Prabowo Subianto via Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi congratulated the newly elected Pope, adding that the president himself would soon issue an official statement.^[190]
•  Ireland – President Michael D. Higgins said, "I send Pope Leo my very best wishes as he begins his pontificate, and I welcome his statement that he is prepared to lead with compassion."^[191]
•  Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Pope Leo XIV, expressing hope that he would foster "reconciliation among all faiths".^[192] President Isaac Herzog stated that Israel would "look forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See, and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world".^[179]
• Iraq – Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani extended their congratulations to Pope, stating that they "wish him success in championing peace and strengthening the values of peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the world."^[193]
  • Iraqi Kurdistan – Kurdistan Region Minister of Transport and Communications, Ano Jawhar Abdoka, issued a statement welcoming the election of Pope Leo XIV as the new head of the Catholic Church and suggesting that the new Pope should "remember the Christians of the East, from the historic churches of Ankawa and Erbil to the communities across Nineveh, Zakho, Duhok, and Alqos", referring to both Kurds and Assyrians in the area.^[194]
•  Italy – Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that "in a time marked by conflict and unrest, his words from the Loggia of Benedictions are a powerful call to peace, brotherhood and responsibility".^[179]
•  Lebanon – President Joseph Aoun congratulated the newly-elected pope and stated that he hoped the new pontiff would "strengthen dialogue between religions and cultures".^[195]
•  Malaysia – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called the election of Pope Leo XIV "a historic occasion" and expressed confidence that it would bring renewed purpose and inspiration to the global Catholic community. He also emphasized Malaysia's valued relationship with the Holy See, highlighting hopes for continued engagement rooted in mutual respect, dialogue and a shared commitment to peace and human dignity.^[196]
•  Mexico – President Claudia Sheinbaum praised Pope Leo's values "in favor of world peace and prosperity".^[179]
•  Morocco – King Mohammed VI congratulated Pope Leo, highlighting relations between the Holy See and Morocco, which he said were "united by an unwavering commitment to peace and the principles of living together".^[197]
•  Peru – President Dina Boluarte congratulated the new pope and highlighted his "Evil will not prevail" speech.^[198] Members of the Peruvian Congress also congratulated the new pope.^[199][200]
•  Philippines – President Bongbong Marcos congratulated the newly elected Pope, stating, "The Filipino people are also praying for the new pope's strength and good health as he leads the faithful with grace, wisdom and compassion."^[201]
•  Poland – President Andrzej Duda asked the Pope to "accept the assurance of the readiness of the Republic of Poland to further strengthen" its "unique bonds—in the name of shared values, responsibility for the common good and the strengthening of peace in the world".^[179]
•  Portugal – Prime Minister Luís Montenegro wished that the Pope's pontificate would be "filled with light, humanism and universalism", adding that he hoped that the Pope and the Holy See would be heard on their calls "peace, empathy, compassion and comprehension".^[202] President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also congratulated the newly elected Pope, highlighting his "great concern for peace" and calling for the continuation of "the ancient, historic, fundamental relations between the church and Portugal and the role of the Catholic Church throughout human history".^[203]
•  Russia – President Vladimir Putin stated that he was "confident that the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican" would "continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values" that unite the two nations.^[179]
•  Saudi Arabia – King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election as the new leader of the Catholic church, sending "congratulatory telegrams to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election as Pope of the Vatican".^[204]
•  Singapore – Prime Minister Lawrence Wong congratulated Pope Leo on Facebook, acknowledging that the "longstanding and warm relations" between Singapore and the Holy See are built on "a shared interest in promoting peace and interfaith understanding", and praised the Catholic Church work in Singapore "to serve the underprivileged, to help foster a spirit of inclusiveness, and to encourage interreligious dialogue".^[205] President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also congratulated Pope Leo, valuing the contributions of the Catholic Church to the country's national development which played a role in multiracialism and the provision of education, healthcare, and social services.^[205]
•  Spain – Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wished that the Pope's pontificate would "contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world that needs hope and unity."^[179]
•  South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa commented that "Pope Leo XIV's early emphasis on peace is a call that resonates with most of humanity and is one that honors the legacy of the late Pope Francis".^[179]
•  Sweden – Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson tweeted "Habemus Papam! On behalf of the Swedish Government, my sincere congratulations to His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as head of the Catholic Church. We wish him strength and courage in continuing to promote human dignity, dialogue, peace and unity of a just world."^[180]
•  Taiwan – President Lai Ching-te congratulated the new pope via the foreign ministry. He also tweeted, "We look forward to building on our diplomatic ties with the Holy See, 83 years strong, to advance peace, justice, solidarity, and benevolence."^[185]
•  Turkey – President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the new pope in a statement, saying: "I am fully confident that we will continue the sincere and constructive dialogue we established with Pope Francis with you as well. It is my sincere belief that further advancing the relations between Türkiye and the Vatican will make a significant contribution to strengthening tolerance on the international arena and to ending humanitarian tragedies, especially in Gaza."^[206]
•  Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that "at this decisive moment for Ukraine", the nation hopes for the "continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace".^[179]
•  United Kingdom – Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted that "the election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally, and begins a new chapter for the leadership of the Church and in the world".^[179] Buckingham Palace said that King Charles III had sent "most sincere good wishes for his pontificate".^[207]
•  United States – President Donald Trump posted a message on Truth Social, congratulating Leo XIV for being the first American pope and expressing interest in meeting him soon.^[179] He also described the election of an American pope as "a great honor" for the United States.^[208][209] Vice President JD Vance, who is a Catholic convert, congratulated Leo XIV via a tweet, adding that he is sure "millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church."^[180] Former Presidents Joe Biden (the second Catholic U.S. president), Barack Obama (a fellow Chicagoan and a U.S. Senator from Illinois before becoming president), George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris, also congratulated the new pope.^[210][211]
  •  Illinois – Governor JB Pritzker congratulated the new pope.^[212]
    •  Chicago – Mayor Brandon Johnson congratulated the new pope by tweeting: "Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!"^[213]
•  Uruguay – President Yamandú Orsi congratulated the election of Leo XIV, highlighting his "chosen" connection with Latin America.^[214] Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Relations issued a statement expressing the hope that his pontificate "contributes to world peace and sets an example, spreading goodwill, hope, solidarity, generosity, and social justice".^[215]
•  Vietnam – President Lương Cường sent a message of congratulations on the election of Pope Leo XIV, expressing hope for continuation of the legacy of Pope Francis.^[216]

• The Chicago Sun-Times' banner headline, accompanied by a full-page photograph of Leo XIV, read "DA POPE!", in reference to "Da Bears" – the Chicago Bears of the National Football League, whose pronunciation was also popularized by Bill Swerski's Superfans from Saturday Night Live.^[217]

• The Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball, which Leo XIV supported according to his brother John in an interview with WGN-TV, shipped a jersey and hat to him and announced plans to honor him while also putting on the scoreboard at Rate Field, "Hey Chicago, He's a Sox Fan!" after the Chicago Cubs had done similarly on the marquee at Wrigley Field, initially when news reports and rumors erroneously described Leo as a Cubs fan. The Chicago Sun-Times also received a photograph of the Pope attending the 2005 World Series against the Houston Astros, which the White Sox won for their first championship in 88 years, and it was also discovered that he was shown on the FOX broadcast in the top of the 9th inning of Game 1.^[218][219]

• The Dalai Lama congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a statement, saying that his election to the papacy "brings new hope not just to the Catholic community, but to people everywhere who are seeking a happier life in a more compassionate, peaceful world".^[166]
• Ahmed el-Tayeb, who is the Grand Imam of al-Azhar,^[220] and the World Jewish Congress also congratulated the new pope.^[192]
• The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote that "as fellow followers of Jesus Christ, we look forward to continued opportunities to work together to bless the lives of God's children everywhere. May we strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ to care for the poor and needy, become peacemakers and create a world where faith and goodness can flourish."^[166]
• Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, congratulated the new Pope, expressing hope for the development of relations between the churches.^[166][221]
• Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Eastern Orthodox Church remembered that Leo XIII stood out for his social teachings, and looked forward to their advancing Christian unity.^[222] He also extended the invitation, originally given to Pope Francis, to visit Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) to mark the 1,700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed.^[223]
• Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York and Acting Primate of the Church of England, spoke of "sharing in the great joy of our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters" and commended Leo XIV's "many years of pastoral experience, his commitment to justice, and his deep spirituality".^[224]
•  Hamas – The Palestinian Islamist organization expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would continue the policy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in his "rejection of the Zionist occupation and its repressive policies" during the Gaza war.^[225]

• List of papal conclaves