The longest conclave lasted almost three years. Thankfully, the timeframe has changed drastically in recent years.

Papal Conclave day two

Cardinals have concluded their first vote, and a new pontiff has not been elected. Black smoke poured out of the chimney on the roof of Abigail Dye breaks down the long tradition of the Papal Conclave.

That’s probably what a lot of people thought on Thursday after the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was announced following a two-day conclave. At the ancient ritual,

The first thing the new pope will do is choose a name. In the history of the papacy, the most commonly used name has been John, first chosen in 523 by Saint John I, the Vatican says. The last pope to choose that name was Italian Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, elected Pope John XXIII, in 1958. Roncalli was proclaimed a saint by Pope Francis in 2014.

A top cardinal announces a new pope has been elected, uttering the words “Habemus papam!” Latin for “We have a pope!” from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The new pope is expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing.