Crowd jump for joy, prays in celebration as Pope Francis' successor finally emerges

There was a huge cheer from the crowd following the rising of a white smoke. Everyone are the Vatican is seen running forward to see the white smoke and the new pope.

The BBC reported that people are jumping up while some are praying to the sky. "Once in a lifetime experience", a couple from Greece told a journalist. They also added that they will wait to see the new pope appear on the balcony

The conclave has been a historic and solemn procedure of electing a new pope in the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. A tremendous sound followed the emergence of the white smoke. The bells are also ringing loudly, and people cheer and scream with joy around the reverberating sound.

See the video of the moment here:

New Pope’s name blends tradition, mission - Canon law expert

Italian-based canon law expert Fabiola Lacagnina has described the election of Pope Leo XIV as a profound symbol of unity between the Church’s deep historical roots and its global missionary vision.

Speaking to Legit.ng following the announcement of the new pontiff, Lacagnina remarked:

“On closer inspection, the election of an American pope and the choice of the name Leo XIV do not represent a contradiction, but rather a happy synthesis between missionary universality and Roman continuity.”

She noted that the chosen name carries significant historical weight:

“The name recalls two figures of extraordinary importance in the history of the Church: St Leo the Great, Doctor of the Church and strenuous defender of orthodoxy in the 5th century, and Leo XIII, pontiff of the modern age, known for the encyclical Rerum Novarum and for his prophetic view of the role of the Church in the contemporary world."

She concluded by pointing to a detail that reinforces this message:

“It is a choice that communicates respect for the past and at the same time the will to lead the Church in a new time, in continuity with its most authentic roots. On the other hand, this, from my point of view, is also confirmed by the choice and reconfirmation of the Augustinian motto ‘In illo uno unum’ pronounced by the monk in the Expository sermon on Psalm 127.”

Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a canon law expert for this report.

Source: Legit.ng