After two black smokes and three inconclusive ballots, shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday, the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square finally saw white smoke rise from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, announcing the election of the new Pope. "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam!": With this secular expression, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced to the world the election of US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV.

CONFLICTS IN THE WORLD - Although his pontificate has only recently begun, the challenges that await him are numerous and extend beyond the realm of religion. Peace was undoubtedly one of the most significant themes that Pope Francis -  often remembered in these days as the "Pope of the last" - was most passionate about. He made numerous calls for an end to hostilities in the world's numerous conflict zones. The new Pope will also have to face, among others, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the civil war in Sudan: while a very brief period of truce in the war between Russia and Ukraine began today, as requested by Vladimir Putin in honor of Victory Day, Israeli attacks in Gaza continue. Just in the past few hours, according to the Civil Protection of the Strip, at least 15 people were killed in an airstrike on a school.

MIGRATIONS - During his funeral homily on April 26, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re remembered Pope Francis' first trip to Lampedusa at the start of his papacy. After visiting the island—"a symbol of the drama of emigration with thousands of people drowned at sea", as Re called it—came his visit to Lesbos and the celebration of Mass at the border between Mexico and the United States, now the focal point of the anti-immigration campaign of the United States president, Donald Trump.

OPENINGS - Pope Francis' pontificate has also been distinguished by substantial acts of transparency regarding sexuality-related matters, including the condemnation of discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, the meeting with trans men and women, and authorizing blessings for same-sex couples. The pontiff's openness was also concretely demonstrated by the small group of devout who welcomed his coffin at Santa Maria Maggiore after the funeral. This group, which consisted of approximately forty individuals, included a small group of transgender individuals. The new Pope's decisions on this matter will now be scrutinized as well.

UNITY IN THE CHURCH There are also numerous obstacles to be confronted inside the Church, so the "unity" invoked by so many in recent days will be critical, especially in times of polarization on critical issues where "traditionalists" clash with "progressives". During Bergoglio's pontificate, there has been a trend of appointing laymen to positions in the Vatican rather than clerics, with some important roles being assigned to women for the first time. Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops for four years, stated in a recent interview with BBC Radio 4 that "there is no going back", and that "the next step is to encourage the involvement of women at all levels of the Church."

SEXUAL ABUSE - One of the most dramatic issues that the pontiff will face is the sexual abuse of clergy members: "The sexual abuse of minors by the clergy and its mismanagement by church leaders has been one of the greatest challenges for the Church of our time2, Pope Francis reiterated in May 2023, while receiving members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors Minor. The protection of children, particularly from abuse, will be a priority for the pontificate that has just begun.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND AI -Artificial intelligence, war proliferation, and the climate crisis: “These are all matters in which the Church is involved, because we are everywhere, and these are the things that affect people’s lives", said Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, appointed by Pope Francis in 2019, in an interview with ABC on May 4.