Pope Leo XIV conclave by the numbers: From number of cardinals to length of voting

After a gap of eighteen days since Pope Francis made his last appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday, the world witnessed the emergence of his successor, the 267th pope, on Thursday. The newly elected pope is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the United States, making him the first pope ever chosen from the U.S. He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.

Let’s take a closer look at the conclave by examining some key numbers:

133: This is the number of cardinal electors who participated in the conclave, the highest number in history. They voted inside the Sistine Chapel until they reached a two-thirds majority, which required at least 89 votes to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church.

252: The total number of cardinals worldwide. While all cardinals are called to the Vatican upon the death of a pope, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the conclave. Out of the 252 cardinals, 135 were eligible to serve as electors, with two electors unable to participate due to health reasons.

2: The conclave concluded after just two days of voting on Thursday, making it one of the shortest conclaves in history. This is only the third instance in recent history where a pope was elected after only two days of voting.

16: The number of cardinal electors from North America, with 10 of them hailing from the U.S. The majority of cardinals are from Europe, including 17 from Italy, five each from Spain and France. There are also cardinals from Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

23: The most popular papal name is John, used by 23 popes throughout history. This is followed by Gregory and Benedict, each used 16 times. The name Leo is ranked as the fifth most popular.

69: The age of the newly elected pope, which is considered relatively young in papal terms.

The selection of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV marks a significant moment in the history of the Catholic Church, with the conclave producing a swift decision in choosing its new leader. The world now looks forward to seeing how Pope Leo XIV will guide the Church and address the challenges and opportunities ahead.