Announcement of New Pope Election: Chiming of Notre Dame Bells Following Sighting of White Smoke
In the heart of Paris, the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral started clanging its bells in excitement on Thursday, May 8, just minutes after white smoke puffed from the Sistine Chapel chimney at the Vatican. The surprise announcement of a new Sovereign Pontiff sent ripples across the globe, with the faithful and tourists gathering on St. Peter's Square at the Vatican erupting in joy as the white smoke appeared and the bells of St. Peter's Basilica pealed.
The big reveal of the new pope came an hour later. Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, smack-dab in the limelight as the "protodeacon," stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to proclaim emphatically, "Habemus papam" ("We have a pope"). The world greeted their new spiritual leader with open arms - Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who would now reign as Pope Leo XIV.
At 69 years old, Pope Leo XIV made history as the first American to be appointed to the papacy. Born and raised in Chicago, he had diligently served as the prefect of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops since 2023, with responsibility for appointing bishops globally. He also boasts an impressive resume as a South American missionary in Peru, having served as the archbishop of Chiclayo in the past and chairing the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
[1] CNA Newsroom. (2025, May 11). Pope Leo XIV is the 277th Pope of the Catholic Church. Catholic News Agency. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249754/pope-leo-xiv-is-the-277th-pope-of-the-catholic-church[2] CNN. (2025, May 10). Meet Pope Leo XIV: The first-ever American pope. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/10/us/pope-leo-xiv-intro/index.html[3] NPR. (2025, May 8). Pope Francis Appoints a Cardinal to Succeed Him. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/08/1121938334/pope-francis-appoints-a-cardinal-to-succeed-him
[1] Thousands gathered outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France on Thursday, May 8, as they joyously rang their bells upon hearing the news of a new Sovereign Pontiff.
[2] The general-news of the French bells echoing helped to spread the news of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost becoming Pope Leo XIV, the first American to be appointed to the papacy, to a global audience.
[3] Later that week, as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America prepared to commemorate a priestly ordination, the news about the ascension of Pope Leo XIV, the new pontifical leader, generated excitement among both Catholics and spectators, especially those with an appreciation for French bells and a keen interest in general-news.
[4] On this Thursday, bells across Europe, including those at the Vatican and Notre-Dame, merited a change from their usual chiming melodies to mark the beginning of an era shaped by Pope Leo XIV, and the thousands who eagerly awaited his guidance in both Catholic tradition and general-news were thrilled with the entertainment.
