Those who knew Pope Leo XIV as a younger man say his path to the papacy has prepared him well for the challenges ahead.

In a tradition that scholars date to the 19th century, smoke released from a chimney will be colored white if the cardinals have made a decision, or black if they remain deadlocked.

White smoke billowed over the Vatican on Thursday to signal a cardinal has been elected as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church. Why it matters: The newly elected pope, who has not yet been publicly named,