Who Is the New Pope 2025? Find Out the Pontiff’s Name – Hollywood Life

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Pope Francis‘ death called for a day of mourning on April 21, 2025, and his funeral on April 26. The late pontiff died just hours after he delivered his yearly Easter prayer and meeting with American Vice President JD Vance on the holiday. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the pope’s death in a statement shared by the Vatican. He said, “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized.”

As Italy mourned, the question turned to who would succeed him. Now that the conclave has concluded, all eyes are on the Vatican, which signaled that a new pope was elected on May 8, 2025. Below, get updates on how the Vatican moves forward from Francis’ death and who was chosen as the next leader of the Catholic Church.

How Old Was Pope Francis?

Francis was 88 years old when he died.

How Did Pope Francis Die?

According to Francis’ death certificate, his cause of death was due to cerebral stroke, coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse in addition to a “previous episode of acute respiratory failure in bilateral multimicrobial pneumonia, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type II diabetes.” A cerebral stroke is when there is a loss of blood flow to the brain, and an irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse means that he had a sudden failure of the heart to maintain blood flow, according to ABC News.

Francis died after battling a series of ailments, most of them being respiratory-related issues. In his 20s, the late pope had one part of one of his lungs removed. Years later, in 2023, he received medical treatment for bronchitis, then again in early 2025 when he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.

Throughout the remainder of his life, Francis also underwent intestinal surgery, removing part of his colon to manage diverticulitis (a condition that causes inflammation in the colon), and he walked with a cane and used a wheelchair due to a knee condition.

What Happens When the Pope Dies?

Shortly after a pope dies, a funeral is held. Francis approved for his coffin to be open at St. Peter’s Basilica so that the public can pay its respects. Next, the College of Cardinals must choose who the next pope will be in an election known as the conclave. Until a majority of the votes carry the election, the College of Cardinals governs the Church in the interim of the late pope’s death and the choice of a new pontiff.

In previous centuries, the conclave has lasted days to months. Usually, though, it lasts several days.

Who Is the New Pope?

Usually, one of the cardinals becomes the next pope, and they tend to prefer a European to succeed. At the time of publication, the cardinals have begun their meeting for the voting process. On May 8, 2025, white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney, which signaled that a new pope was elected.

The new pope’s name is Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born Catholic. He selected his pontiff name to be Pope Leo XIIV.

White smoke! The 133 Cardinal electors gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected the new Pope. He will appear soon at the central window of St. Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/XejI7mY43m

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025

The following names were the possible candidates for the next pope, according to Reuters and Associated Press:

Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, 66 years old, French
Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, 72 years old, Hungarian
Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, 68 years old, Maltese
Cardinal Juan Jose Omella, archbishop of Barcelona, 79 years old, Spanish
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican diplomat, 70 years old, Italian
Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle; Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization under Francis, 67 years old; Filipino
Cardinal Joseph Tobin, archbishop of Newark, N.J., 72 years old, American
Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Vatican official; 76 years old; Ghanaian
Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, 69 years old, Italian
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Congolese, Archbishop of Kinshasa, 65 years old