First American pope elected and will be known as Pope Leo XIV

Conclave, history, and ritual

• Several comments compare the real conclave to films and videos about papal elections, suggesting interest in the historical periods when popes had armies and political power.
• Discussion notes that historically the papacy and church were deeply political and economic actors (including banking and landholding monasteries), and that Vatican City remains a distinct political entity today.
• The smoke signal tradition is unpacked in detail: burning ballots, the evolution from ambiguous smoke to explicit black/white signals, later use of chemicals, and addition of bell-ringing to avoid confusion.

Speed, outcome, and surprise of this conclave

• Many are surprised the conclave ended by the fourth ballot given a relatively open field; this is taken as a sign of broad agreement on continuity with the previous pope’s direction.
• Betting markets and pundit “prevailing wisdom” largely mispriced the winner; he was a low‑probability candidate on prediction markets and usually listed as a second‑tier contender.
• Some see the choice of an American—especially one who spent many years in Peru and Rome—as strategically unexpected but symbolically significant.

New pope’s background and theological stance

• Commenters highlight his mathematics degree and religious‑order background, noting two “religious” popes in a row is historically unusual.
• Links and quotes suggest he is broadly in continuity with prior social teaching (on workers, migration, climate), conservative on sexual morality and women’s ordination, but not an outlier for Catholic doctrine.
• Long subthreads debate biblical interpretation, “natural law,” sola scriptura, and how much room there is within Catholic tradition to change teachings on same‑sex relationships and marriage.

Abuse scandals and credibility

• Allegations are raised that he allowed or insufficiently acted on abuse cases in the U.S. and Peru.
• Counter‑comments cite church documents claiming he followed canonical procedure, encouraged reporting to civil authorities, and that some accusations are entangled with local politics.
• Several argue that high‑level clergy almost inevitably have some proximity to mishandled cases; others insist this is precisely the standard that should disqualify leaders.

US politics and “American pope” implications

• Debate over whether his nationality will affect US Catholics’ politics: some hope he can counter Trumpism and Christian nationalism; others doubt Trump‑aligned Catholics will heed him.
• Past criticisms of Trump and Vance are mentioned, but commenters warn these can be walked back or ignored, noting US Catholics’ mixed responses to the previous pope.
• Meta‑argument over whether religion truly shapes political views, or mostly rationalizes pre‑existing ideologies.

Global resonance, aesthetics, and identity

• Many describe church bells announcing the election around the world as uniquely synchronizing—contrasted with elections, stock markets, sports, or iPhone launches.
• Extended tangent on Catholic “aesthetic”: some find the ritual and art profoundly moving; others, especially those with traumatic experiences, see it as symbolic of coercion and cover‑ups.
• Recurring side‑discussion about what “American” means (US vs. the Americas), dual citizenship, tax consequences for a US‑born head of state, and whether this really is the “first American pope.”