Today is
Monday May 12, 2025
(LONDON) -- Israel's decision to halt all humanitarian aid from crossing into Gaza is entering its third month.
The Israeli government said the blockade is to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, including the remains of those who have died, and to accept a new proposal to extend phase one of the ceasefire deal, which ended on March 18.
Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) wrote in a post on X in late April that humanitarian personnel have been allowed to enter and exit Gaza to support humanitarian efforts in the strip.
But multiple doctors and international aid workers told ABC News that water, food, medicine and medical supplies are running low, and in some cases running out completely.
Children are becoming malnourished, diseases are at risk of spreading and those who are injured cannot be treated properly, the workers said.
"If nothing is done, if food is not brought in, if water is not brought in, if vaccines are not brought in at scale -- we're already in a catastrophe, and we're going to have way more children dying [from] preventable causes," Jonathan Crickx, chief of communication for UNICEF Palestine, told ABC News.
A Trump administration official told ABC News there is a no-yet-finalized plan to administer the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, starting with fewer than half a dozen distribution sites set up throughout the enclave.
The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment.
Children becoming malnourished
The lack of food entering Gaza is one of the most severe problems the strip is facing, according to aid workers.
Osama As, the lead for quality, evidence and learning with the Mercy Corps Gaza Emergency Response Program, said the situation "is getting worse day after day, especially in relation to food" because most people in Gaza depend on humanitarian aid and community kitchens for food.
He said most families survive on one meal a day, and that most food available is canned food and bread.
"I never imagined that we would reach this point. Most people cannot afford the remaining items, which are either like canned foods and few quantities of vegetables which are produced locally here in Gaza," As, who is based in Gaza, said. "The prices are very high, so I think most people cannot afford these kinds of items to buy from the local market."
Dr. Ahmed Alfar, head of the pediatrics department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, said he has seen many examples of malnourished children over the past two months.
One example he gave is a baby girl named Siwar, who was born four months ago. At birth, she weighed 2.5 kilograms, or 5.5 pounds.
Four months later, she should be weighing about 5 kilograms, or 11 pounds. Instead, she is only about 6 pounds, according to Alfar.
Alfar said the mother is unable to lactate and the family does not have much money, so they have been unable to feed Siwar milk, just sweetened water.
"That means in four months she gained just 200 grams, and this is unbelievable," he told ABC News in Arabic. "She was a full-term baby. She was delivered vaginally. Her health was completely normal. ... We called it one of the most severe [cases of] malnutrition. Now Siwar is facing a severe, critical situation."
Similarly, Crickx, from UNICEF Palestine, who is currently in Al Mawasi, in southern Gaza, said he visited Nasser Hospital this week and met a 4-year-old boy named Osama.
Crickx said Osama should weigh 15 to 16 kilograms, about 33 to 35 pounds. Instead, he weighs 8 kilograms, or 17.5 pounds, Crickx said.
He said UNICEF and its partners have a small number of ready-to-use therapeutic foods to treat malnutrition, but they are running out. UNICEF has already run out of food meant to address the first signs of malnutrition.
"[Osama] has, really, the skin on the bones, and he was healthy before the beginning of this terrible war," Crickx said. "So, we are now in a situation where children are hungry, they are little by little being affected more and more by acute malnutrition, acute severe malnutrition. And if nothing is done, we fear that the worst will happen to them."
Community kitchen workers told ABC News if the border crossings remain closed, markets will close, and ingredients will run out. Some food relief organizations have already closed.
In late April, the United Nations' World Food Programme said it had delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meal kitchens in Gaza, and it expected to fully run out of food in the coming days. Additionally, the nonprofit group World Central Kitchen (WCK) announced on Wednesday that it had run out of supplies and ingredients needed to cook meals or bake bread in Gaza.
WCK said it has trucks loaded with food and cooking fuel that have been ready to enter Gaza since early March as well as additional food and equipment ready to be shipped from Jordan and Egypt.
"In recent weeks, our teams stretched every remaining ingredient and fuel source using creativity and determination. We turned to alternative fuels like wood pallets and olive husk pellets and pivoted away from rice recipes that require more fuel in favor of stews with bread," WCK said. "But we have now reached the limits of what is possible."
Risk of spreading disease
The blockade has also had an impact on the spread of disease in Gaza, aid workers said.
Overcrowding in tent camps -- along with a lack of clean water, hygiene products and poor sanitation -- puts Gazans at risk of contracting infectious diseases, they said.
Limited supplies of soap and hygienic products "will continue to lead to escalation in skin manifestations of diseases like scabies," Dr. Aqsa Durrani, a pediatrician who was recently on assignment in Gaza with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, told ABC News.
It's unclear how many infections have been diagnosed over the past two months but a study from April 2024 estimated 55,400 cases of scabies and lice outbreaks among children under age five who were displaced.
Limited clean drinking water and overcrowded camps has also led to a rise in diarrheal diseases. A report from the Institute for Palestine Studies estimates at least half of cases recorded as of Jan. 2024 have been among children under 5 years old.
Crickx said a majority of children are affected by chronic watery diarrhea, which can lead to serious complications for babies and toddlers.
There has also been a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases in Gaza including hepatitis A, chickenpox, measles and polio.
Aid workers say the blockade imposed by Israel has halted the delivery of vaccines, such as the oral polio vaccine to Gaza, leaving residents vulnerable to diseases.
"Even in these terrible conditions, we have pregnant women and babies still being born in this community and population of 2 million people," Durrani said. "And so, we need more vaccinations as well vaccines."
Hospitals running out of supplies to treat injured
Since Hamas launched its surprise terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel responded by declaring war, thousands have reportedly been killed or injured. Israel has said its goal is to destroy Hamas and that it attempts to minimize civilian casualties as often as possible.
More than 15 months into the conflict, Hamas and Israel reached a ceasefire deal. The ceasefire saw the withdrawal of some Israeli forces to allow more aid to get in and the release of some of the hostages.
However, resumption of hostilities in mid-March led to an increase in injuries, Crickx said. UNICEF estimates that more than 500 children have been killed since March 18 and more than 1.250 children have been injured.
Durrani -- who worked as medical activity manager for MSF at a field hospital in Deir al Balah in central Gaza from the end of February until the end of April -- said she saw injuries caused by air strikes, fires after air strikes and from large cooking fires.
"Because there's no cooking gas, people are burning household items and trying to cook over large open flames,' she said. "So, we also saw children with burns due to those flames, as well as scald burns from children who had been waiting in food distribution lines, and the jostling of the food items would then lead to them being injured from hot food."
What's more, burn victims or those who are injured can take longer to heal due to malnourishment. They can also be at risk of infections or skin graft failure.
Durrani explained that poor wound healing can be associated with poor nutrition, which resulted in some pediatric burn patients developing infections.
"Not only was our staff hungry, but we also had no food for our patients, including our pediatric patients," Durrani said. "Other than just being harrowing from a human perspective, it's also, from a medical perspective, really impacts the way that people can heal from these injuries, and these types of burns."
"Not even being clear that we will have enough antibiotics to treat the infection if the patients develop infections," she continued. "In the face of also not having enough surgical materials or concern that we may run critically low on anesthesia supplies if they need to go back to the [operating room]."
In conversations with doctors this week, Crickx said hospitals are experiencing shortages of anesthetics and anticoagulants. There is also a lack of medical supplies to fix bones when they suffer fractures, he said.
Durrani said her team was forced to ration medications, including painkillers, antibiotics and critical surgery supplies. They often had to perform painful procedures and wound dressing changes without any pain control.
She said she didn't want to cause pain by removing dressings without proper pain control, but if the dressings aren't removed, then it could lead to infections for patients.
"We're being forced to make impossible decisions like that, which is unconscionable, given that just miles away there are trucks and trucks full of food and supplies and medications and nutritional sources," she said. "For me personally, this is the first time that I had to look patients in the eye and say I didn't have something that I know is just miles away."
ABC News' Shannon Kingston and Diaa Ostaz contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- Ukraine and its allies "are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire" with Russia "for at least 30 days" beginning on Monday, the Ukrainian foreign minister said Saturday.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X.
The European Union supports "the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, the head of the EU's main executive body said Saturday, adding that the "ball is now in Russia's court."
"It must be implemented without preconditions to pave the way for meaningful peace negotiations," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X. "We stand ready to maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire."
The United Kingdom, France and Germany are saying they -- with U.S-backing -- are demanding Russia's Vladimir Putin accept a 30-day ceasefire or they will all together increase sanctions on Moscow and increase military support to Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "all of us here, together with US, are calling Putin out." If he is "serious" about peace then "he has a chance to show it now by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire," Starmer said.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, ending tensions that had been rising since an April attack on Indian-controlled Kashmir, according to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Officials from India also confirmed that the country agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire.
President Donald Trump first announced the ceasefire in a post on social media.
"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said in a post on his platform Truth Social.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed in a statement that over the past two days, Vice President JD Vance and he conversed with Indian and Pakistani officials to broker an immediate ceasefire.
"We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," Rubio said in a statement.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday thanked President Trump "for his leadership and proactive role" and said this "marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region."
Earlier Saturday, Indian officials said during a press briefing that Pakistan had attacked 26 locations across India and the Pakistani military had begun moving its troops "into forward areas."
"I have said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations," Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. "In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."
Indian Army Col. Sofiya Qureshi said the forward movements of Pakistani troops indicate "offensive intent to further escalate the situation.""Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness," Qureshi said. "All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military."
Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh denied that Pakistani strikes have caused any damage to India's military infrastructure.
"Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, artillery gun positions in Derangyari and Chandigarh ammunitions depot, with heavy damage to other military stations being propagated on social media," Singh said. "India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan."
India and Pakistan have exchanged cross-border fire and strikes for the past several days, with civilian casualties reported on both sides.
Tensions have been rising between the nuclear-armed neighbors since the April 22 attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistani-backed militants. In response, India on Wednesday launched strikes on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir targeting what it called "terrorist infrastructure."
Pakistan has denied any involvement in last month's attack and said it is conducting retaliatory strikes on India and Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- One day after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the U.S., seven American cardinals sat down with reporters on Friday to discuss the Chicago native who now leads the Roman Catholic Church and how he will follow the footsteps of Pope Francis, but not as a "photocopy."
The cardinals that gathered -- Daniel DiNardo, Timothy Dolan, Joseph Tobin, Blase Cupich, Wilton Gregory, Robert McElroy and Christophe Pierre -- agreed that all members of the clergy worked effectively together to elect a pontiff that would follow Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
"It was an amazing opportunity to see such a diverse assembly of humanity coming from many different perspectives, facing many different challenges, but coming together for a common purpose to find Peter's successor, and I think we did well," Gregory, the archbishop emeritus of Washington, said during the press conference at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
Several of the cardinals admitted they were surprised an American was selected, including Robert McElroy -- archbishop of Washington -- who "always thought it would be impossible."
But Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said he did not think the fact that Leo was from the U.S. "carried much weight" in the decision to elect him as the 267th leader of the church.
He also suggested that Leo's election wasn't a reaction to President Donald Trump.
"I don't think at all my brother cardinals would have thought of him as a counterweight to any one person," he said.
Regarding remarks made earlier by Cardinal Maung Bo -- who said Leo will "build a bridge" with Trump -- Dolan said the new pontiff will instead "build bridges with leaders of every nation."
Dolan said Leo's potential meeting with Trump would "not be of more heft" than conversations with other world leaders.
Overall, Gregory -- who agreed with Dolan's suggestion that American politics had nothing to do with the decision to elect Leo -- told reporters the cardinals were attempting to elect someone who could lead the Catholic Church and could answer these questions: "Who among us can bring us together? Who among us can strengthen the faith and bring the faith to places it has grown weak?"
During the conclave itself, Gregory said Leo engaged in conversations with members of the clergy in "smaller groups," specifically during meal times and coffee breaks.
"It wasn't like he got up and made an overwhelmingly convincing speech that wowed the body," Gregory said.
Cardinal Robert McElroy, archbishop of Washington, said it was not the substance of what Leo said during the conclave, but the "manner in which he said it" that resonated with the cardinals.
Tobin, archbishop of Newark, described a moment during the conclave, when he saw Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, with "his head in his hands" after realizing he could possibly become pope.
"I was praying for him, because I couldn't imagine what happens to a human being when you're facing something like that, and then when he accepted it, it was like he was made for it," Tobin said. "All of whatever anguish was resolved by the feeling that, I think, that this wasn't simply his saying yes to a proposal, but God would make something clear."
The clergy also noticed that Leo had the mind of Pope Benedict and the "missionary zeal" of Francis, Dolan said. Similarly, McElroy said Leo has the "same type of freedom that is in his heart and soul that was in Francis," but the new pontiff may not express that freedom in the same manner.
"We are looking for someone following the pathway, but we are not looking for a photocopy," McElroy said.
Gregory, who said he spoke to Leo during the conclave about how they are both from Chicago, advised the world to give the new pope patience as he grows into this role, joking that he has only been in this position for a day.
"He's never been pope before," Gregory said. "Pope Leo will surprise us as he brings his gifts, confronts the challenges and responds in grace to the needs of the church."
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(NEW YORK) -- When Robert Prevost was in the first grade, his neighbor told him he would be the first American pope, one of his brothers told ABC News.
On Thursday, that prophecy came true, when the 69-year-old cardinal was elected to be the 267th pontiff -- and the first from the United States.
John Prevost told "Good Morning America" he was able to speak with his younger sibling on Thursday for about 30 seconds to congratulate him.
He said that if their parents were still alive they would be feeling "extreme joy" and "extreme pride" about their son, but they would also be concerned as to how he would handle his new role because "it's a heavy weight on his shoulders."
"I'm concerned," John Prevost told "GMA" on Friday. "It is quite a responsibility that he's going to face now because he's got the task of trying to bring the world's Catholics together. I think we're splitting apart quickly. Maybe he can do something to bring it back. People are leaving the church. There are factions in the church. ... I think he's got to face those things and somehow talk about it and bring people together to talk about it, to get worldwide opinion."
Before he was Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost grew up the youngest of three brothers in the South Chicago suburb of Dolton.
He always wanted to be a priest, his older brother, John Prevost, told ABC News outside his home in Illinois on Thursday.
"He knew right away. I don't think he's ever questioned it. I don't think he's ever thought of anything else," John Prevost said.
As a child, Pope Leo XIV "played priest," John Prevost said. "The ironing board was the altar."
The pope is a White Sox fan, his brother confirmed. "He's a regular, run-of-the-mill person," he said.
Leo started to emerge as a front-runner for the papacy in the days before the conclave began, according to the Rev. James Martin, a papal contributor to ABC News.
John Prevost said he also spoke to his brother on Tuesday, before the cardinals went into the secretive conclave, and told his younger brother that he also believed he could be the first American pope. At the time, his younger brother called it "nonsense" and "just talk," saying, "'They're not going to pick an American pope," John Prevost said.
"He just didn't believe it, or didn't want to believe it," John Prevost said.
John Prevost said he expects his brother will follow in the late Pope Francis' footsteps as a voice for the disenfranchised and poor.
"I think they were two of a kind," John Prevost said. "I think because they both were in South America at the same time -- in Peru and in Argentina -- they had the same experiences in working with missions and working with the downtrodden. So I think that's the experience that they're both coming from."
Louis Prevost, the eldest of the three Prevost brothers, was feeling under the weather and lying in bed at his home in Florida when the big moment came.
"My wife called to tell me there's white smoke from the chapel," he said.
Louis Prevost said he tuned in to the live broadcast of the Vatican announcement.
"They started reading his name, and when he went, 'blah, blah, blah, Roberto,' immediately I knew -- that's Rob," he said. "I was just thankful I was still in bed lying down, because I might have fallen down."
Louis Prevost said he got out of bed and started "dancing around like an idiot."
"It's just incredible," he said. "I'm suddenly wide awake and feeling wonderful."
He described his brother as "down to earth," someone who has a good sense of humor and is "smart as a whip." He loved his work as a missionary in Peru and being with the people, and through his work with the Vatican has traveled the world, Louis Prevost said.
"I thought I had done traveling in the Navy, but, my God, he blew me away," he said.
His brother surmised that global experience may have stood out to the other cardinals in electing him pope.
Louis Prevost said his brother seemed to always know his calling, and that as young as 4 or 5, the family knew he was destined for great things in the Catholic Church. When his brothers were playing cops and robbers, Leo would "play priest" and distribute Holy Communion with Necco wafers, Louis Prevost said.
“We used to tease him all the time -- you’re going to be the pope one day," he said. "Neighbors said the same thing. Sixty-some years later, here we are."
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- Prior to being elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV had a presence on Twitter, and later X, where he sometimes shared messages that appeared to be critical of some of President Donald Trump's policies.
Cardinal Robert Prevost appears to have an X account with the handle @drprevost and posted, replied and reposted content since 2011, according to his page.
A picture of Prevost and Pope Francis holding each others arms in their robes inside a church is the profile image for the account.
While most of the new pope's 439 posts involved posting articles about the latest developments from the Vatican and dioceses from around the world, he did share other posts from time to time dealing with political matters.
He last posted on April 14, when he shared a post from prominent American Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo that criticized Trump and El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's controversial immigration policies.
"As Trump & Bukele use Oval to ? Feds' illicit deportation of a US resident …, once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, "Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?" Palmo's post read.
Palmo linked to a Catholic Standard editorial written by Bishop Evelio Menjivar, an auxiliary bishop of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Pope Leo's brother John Prevost in Chicago said immigration is an important issue for his brother.
"I think because the way our country is going, I don't think he necessarily will always agree [with] what's happening. I think a big thing for him is immigration and is it right -- what's going on? I think that will be a challenge for him, because I think he'll say something about it, too."
Asked about his brother's X account, John Prevost said, "I know that's his feelings, but I didn't know he was putting it out on social media."
The pope's last original X post was on Feb. 13, when he posted a link to an America magazine editorial that criticized Vice President JD Vance about his interpretation of the Latin phrase "ordo amoris." Vance contended in a Fox News interview, that the idea meant that one must love their family first before the community.
Pope Francis sent a letter to bishops after Vance's comment rebuking that interpretation without naming the vice president.
Pope Leo, however, appeared to criticize Vance directly in a Feb. 3 post, where he linked to a National Catholic Reporter editorial that dismissed the vice president's stance on immigration.
He shared the headline of the article "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others" and linked to the full story in his post.
Leo had not posted on X between July 2023 and Feb. 3.
The Vatican has not immediately commented about the social media account or posts.
Vance and Trump both congratulated the pope on his election on social media posts.
"I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!" Vance wrote on X Thursday.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(ROME) -- Cardinal Robert Prevost was chosen as Pope Francis' successor on Thursday, taking the papal name Leo XIV. The world is wondering how the first American pope compares to his predecessor.
In his first public remarks, Pope Leo XIV called for unity.
"We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming," he said.
The 69-year-old Chicago native, known for being reserved and private, brings a different style to the papacy compared to his predecessor, according to Time. While Francis was famous for his outgoing personality and spontaneous interactions with crowds, Leo is described by those who know him as more cautious and measured.
Before becoming pope, Leo played a key role in the church, leading Francis' team that chose new bishops. He made history by adding three women to the group that recommends bishop appointments to the pope -- a major change in church tradition, according to the Associated Press.
Many Catholics are watching closely to see how Leo will handle important issues that Francis championed during his time as pope. Francis took progressive positions on many issues, including allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples in December 2023 and strongly defending immigrants' rights.
The contrast between the two leaders' styles is already clear. While Francis was known for blessing babies and engaging with crowds until his death last month, Leo reportedly takes a more reserved approach.
"He does not have excesses," the Rev. Michele Falcone told the New York Times about Leo. "Blessing babies, yes. Taking them in his arms, no."
LGBTQ+ issues and role of women in the church
Leo's past statements suggest he may take different positions on some social issues than his predecessor did.
In 2012, he expressed concern about Western media promoting what he called "beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel," including same-sex relationships, according to the Times. As a bishop in Peru from 2015 through 2023, he opposed teaching gender studies in schools, stating that "gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist."
That appears to mark a departure from Francis's more welcoming approach to LGBTQ+ issues. Francis famously asked "Who am I to judge?" when discussing gay clerics, and made headlines with his decision to allow same-sex couple blessings.
In other areas, like women serving in leadership roles in the Catholic Church, Leo has taken a more progressive stance.
In a 2023 interview with Vatican Media, Leo XIV highlighted his experience with having women in church leadership, particularly discussing the three women appointed to help select bishops -- a reform he oversaw under Francis.
"Their opinion introduces another perspective and becomes an important contribution to the process," he told Vatican Media, emphasizing that their roles represent "real, genuine, and meaningful participation."
Immigration and treatment of migrants
During his time in Peru, Leo earned praise for supporting Venezuelan immigrants, the Times reported.
Francis had been particularly vocal on this issue, recently condemning the Trump administration's deportations of migrants in the U.S. after the president's second inauguration, calling it a "major crisis."
In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Pope Leo's brother John Prevost cited his brother's missionary work.
"I think because he was trained in missionary work in South America for so many years, I think he will be looking out for the disenfranchised," John Prevost said. "He will be looking out for the poor. He will be looking out for those who don't have a voice."John Prevost also said immigration is an important issue for his brother.
"I think because the way our country is going, I don't think he necessarily will always agree [with] what's happening. I think a big thing for him is immigration and is it right -- what's going on? I think that will be a challenge for him, because I think he'll say something about it, too."
Church sexual abuse scandals
Questions have emerged about Leo XIV's handling of abuse cases in both the U.S. and Peru. In Chicago, activists raised concerns about his role in a case involving a monastery placement, the Times reported.
When discussing the ongoing challenge of sexual abuse in the church, Leo acknowledged there is "still much to learn" in handling these cases. He stressed the importance of supporting abuse victims, saying "silence is not the solution" and emphasized the need for transparency.
"We must be transparent and honest, we must accompany and assist the victims, because otherwise their wounds will never heal," Leo told Vatican Media in 2023, adding that cultural differences often affect how abuse cases are handled in different regions.
The new pope's more recent comments indicate he plans to continue addressing the abuse crisis that has plagued the church, while maintaining the reforms started under Francis' leadership, though with his characteristically more measured approach.
Leadership style
Those who know Robert Prevost before he became Pope Leo XIV describe his communication style as more measured than Francis', the Times reported.
"Where Francis might immediately speak his mind, Cardinal Prevost holds himself back a bit," the Rev. Moral Antón, who succeeded Leo as leader of the Augustinian order, said.
Despite these differences in style, some expect Leo to maintain certain aspects of Francis' legacy.
The Rev. Mark R. Francis, who knew Leo XIV as a classmate, told the Times he believes the new pope will continue Francis's practice of including regular Catholics in church discussions.
"I know that Bob believes that everybody has a right and a duty to express themselves in the church," he said.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(ROME) -- Americans and world leaders are cheering for the new leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, whose name is Robert Francis Prevost.
The 69-year-old, who hails from Chicago, is the first pope from the United States.
President Donald Trump congratulated Pope Leo on social media, saying, "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope."
"What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," Trump's post continued. "I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"
Former President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic who has spoken about his warm relationship with Pope Francis, wrote on social media, "Habemus papam -- May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success."
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, in a post on X on Thursday night, wrote, "Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his historic selection. Doug and I join millions across our nation and around the world in praying for him as he steps into his new role and leads the Catholic Church."
Former President Barack Obama said, "Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Catholic, said in a statement, "This is a moment of profound significance for the Catholic Church, offering renewed hope and continuity amid the 2025 Jubilee Year to over a billion faithful worldwide."
"The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff," Rubio's statement said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also a Catholic, said, "All of us hope and pray for the success of His Holiness and his vision for the Church."
"In his own words, Pope Leo XIV said, 'We can be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone,'" she said in a statement. "Let us thank God for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and for this vision of unity."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Prevost's selection "the greatest moment in the history of the greatest city," telling ABC News Live that the new pope was "born in Chicago, educated in Chicago, came back and served this city."
Johnson praised the new pope, saying he "recognizes and understands the value of immigration." The last pope to be named Leo, Leo XIII in 1878, was known as the "Pope of Labor," and Johnson called Chicago the most pro-worker city in America.
"Today is truly a remarkable day" for Chicago and the world, Johnson said.
World leaders are also offering their congratulations.
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, wrote on X, "I extend my most sincere wishes to Pope Leo XIV for the beginning of his pontificate."
"In a time marked by conflicts and unrest, his words from the Loggia of Blessings are a powerful call for peace, fraternity, and responsibility," Meloni wrote in Italian. "A spiritual legacy that follows in the path traced by Pope Francis, and which Italy regards with respect and hope."
The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, posted a statement to X that the election of Pope Leo XIV was a "profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom."
"Pope Leo is the first American Pope," Starmer wrote. "This is a momentous moment."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on X that Prevost's ascension to pope reaffirms "our humanistic commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in the world."
Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, offered well wishes to Pope Leo XIV and described his election as a "historic moment for the Catholic community."
"The white smoke rising above the Sistine Chapel signals the beginning of a new papacy – a moment of renewal, hope, and unity for more than a billion faithful worldwide," Carney posted to X.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva congratulated Pope Leo XIV, writing on X that he hopes he continues the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
"We do not need wars, hatred, and intolerance," Da Silva wrote in Portuguese. "We need more solidarity and more humanism. We need love for our neighbor, which is the foundation of Christ's teachings."
The Augustinian Catholic university Villanova University in Pennsylvania is also celebrating the pope, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics there in 1977.
"What a proud and extraordinary day for Villanova University and the global Church!" university president the Rev. Peter M. Donohue said in a message to the Villanova community.
"A new Pope brings fresh perspectives, renewed priorities and spiritual guidance, all of which can deepen our mission, strengthen our values and enrich our community," Donohue said. "Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission, through an Augustinian lens, as we pursue intellectual and spiritual growth."
As the war between Ukraine and Russia rages on, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media, "Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex on his election to the See of Saint Peter and the beginning of his pontificate."
"Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians," Zelenskyy said. "At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace. I wish His Holiness Leo XIV wisdom, inspiration, and strength -- both spiritual and physical -- in carrying out his noble mission."
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a message, "Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your election as Pope. I am confident that the constructive dialog and interaction established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us. I wish you, Your Holiness, success in fulfilling the high mission entrusted to you, as well as good health and well-being."
Amid the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, "I send you my warmest wishes from the Holy City of Jerusalem. We look forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See, and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world."
"May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples," he continued. "May we see the immediate and safe return of the hostages still held in Gaza, and a new era of peace in our region and around the world."
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- Pope Leo XIV's first message to the world shortly after becoming the new pontiff focused on bringing more peace to the world and connections.
The new pope stood and admired the huge, cheering crowd after stepping out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basicala.
"This is the first greeting of the risen Christ. May the peace be with you," Leo said in Italian, before taking a break amid cheers. "This is the peace of the risen Christ."
The pope gave his regards for his predecessor, Pope Francis, who passed away on a day after Easter.
"Of course we preserve our prays for Pope Francis," he said.
Leo spoke about the community going forward "hand and hand with God." The pope stressed unity and community and encouraged followers to continue in Francis' mission.
"We have to be a church that works together to build bridges and to keep our arms open, like this very piazza, welcoming," he said.
Leo, who did missionary work in South America, paid tribute to the people of Peru and the citizens of Rome.
The new pope also thanked the cardinals who elected him as Francis' successor before reciting the "Hail Mary" prayer.
ABC News' Julia Jacobo contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- The Catholic Church has a new pope.
American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected the 267th pontiff. He has chosen the name Leo XIV, a senior cardinal deacon announced.
The 69-year-old Chicago native is the first American pope and is seen as a diplomat in the church.
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the 133 cardinals -- the church's highest-ranking clergy -- gathered to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church in the secret conclave in Rome.
On Thursday afternoon local time, white smoke billowed from the stovetop chimney atop the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out, signifying the cardinals had elected a new pope. The cardinals cast at least four ballots at the Vatican before a cardinal received at least two-thirds of the vote.
Over an hour after the white smoke emerged, the new pope, clad in his papal vestments, stepped out onto the balcony and greeted the world. Pope Leo delivered his first Apostolic Urbi et Orbi blessing -- meaning to "the city and the world."
His full authority and jurisdiction begins immediately upon his acceptance of the office, prior to the public announcement.
Significance of papal name
Leo is the fifth-most-popular name chosen by popes.
Leo XIII was a founding figure of the Catholic social justice tradition.
While popes aren't obliged to change their name, every pontiff for the past 470 years has done so, usually choosing the name of a predecessor to both honor them and signal their intention to emulate his example. Pope Francis was a notable exception, choosing not the name of a former pope but that of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric and patron saint of animals and the environment.
Seen as front-runner
Pope Leo started to emerge as a front-runner for the papacy in the days before the conclave began, according to Father James Martin, a papal contributor to ABC News.
He was the only U.S. cardinal on a short list of front-runners for pope, also known as "papabiles," compiled in the aftermath of Pope Francis' death by The Associated Press.
He received priestly ordination on June 19, 1982, after studying canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University, according to his bio on the Vatican Press website.
Francis brought Pope Leo to work at the Vatican after first appointing him in 2014 to serve as the bishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He has spent a majority of his time in Peru, where he has also worked as a teacher, missionary and parish priest.
In April 2020, Francis appointed him to be the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Callao, also in Peru, his profile said.
Since 2023, he has held the position at the Vatican as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, in charge of vetting nominations for bishops around the world.
Pope Leo told Vatican News in October 2024 that a "bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them and to suffer with them."
He also currently serves as the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
In a 2023 interview with the Catholic News Service, he was asked how he responds to problems with bishops or dioceses -- to which he said he reminds clergymen to reflect on their oath to "live and work in communion with the Holy Father."
"The spirit of synodality includes a need and desire to listen to not only the bishop himself, but to many people in the diocese to see what's the best way to promote authentic church in each and every diocese in the world," he said at the time.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- Pope Francis has been laid to rest, the conclave has been assembled and, after due deliberation by the participating cardinals, the world at last has seen white smoke wafting from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that a new pope has been elected.
So, what happens next?
There have been just seven papal elections in the last 100 years, with more than a quarter-century passing between the election of Pope John Paul II in October 1978 and that of his successor, Benedict XVI, in April 2005. And now as then, longstanding tradition dictates both the practical and ceremonial steps that occur between the new pontiff's election and when he is officially installed as the leader of the world Catholic Church.
While it can take days, weeks or longer for the cardinals comprising the conclave to reach the two-thirds majority required to elect a new pope – the record is 1,006 days, set in the 13th century – once the election is over, the subsequent events transpire with impressive speed.
Countdown to first public appearance
The first announcement to the world that a new pope has been selected is signaled per tradition by ringing the bells as St. Peter's Basilica as white smoke – fumata bianca – issues from the stovepipe chimney atop the Sistine Chapel. With those ceremonial notices, an informal countdown begins to the moment that the new pope's identity is revealed to the world.
While the faithful typically congregate in St. Peter's Square daily during the conclave, the public signal that a pontiff has been chosen precipitates a surge of observers rushing to be among the first to see the new pope in person.
Although much ceremony remains, it's important to note that the newly elected pope's full authority and jurisdiction begins immediately upon his acceptance of the office, which he of course must do before any public announcement – if he refuses the office, the conclave continues the balloting.
As soon as the new pontiff has assented to his election the conclave ends, though the assembled cardinals will remain at the Vatican until the attendant ceremonies are over. In 2013, Francis requested that the cardinals remain in Rome for an extra day to pray with him.
Meanwhile, the new pope is formally asked by what name he will be known. While popes aren't obliged to change their name, every pontiff for the past 470 years has done so, usually choosing the name of a predecessor to both honor them and signal their intention to emulate his example. Pope Francis was a notable exception, choosing not the name of a former pope but that of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric and patron saint of animals and the environment.
The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.
Papal clothing for his first appearance
The next step is to get the new pope attired for his first public appearance. The liturgical garments – such as robes, stoles and hats – worn by the pope and other Christian church officials are known as vestments. Since 1798, the pope's vestments have been manufactured by the Gammarelli family tailors in Rome, who first made the garments for Pope Pius VI. This year, however, ecclesiastical tailor Ranieri Manchinelli, also in Rome, has prepared the new pope's vestments.
Since no one knows who will be elected pope – and therefore, what size clothing the new pope will require – three sets of vestments are prepared ahead of time for his first public appearance, in sizes small, medium and large.
The vestments are placed in the Stanza delle Lacrime, or Room of Tears, which is a small sacristy, or clergy preparation area, just off the Sistine Chapel. It's here that the new pope will dress in his temporary vestments as the world awaits his first public appearance. However, there's still a final bit of ceremony to complete.
The Fisherman's Ring
Once attired in his vestments, the pontiff returns to the Sistine Chapel and sits on a papal chair. The camerlengo – that is, the cardinal who oversees the conclave, in this case Cardinal Kevin Ferrell – then escorts the master of ceremonies who bears the Fisherman's Ring on a velvet cushion to the new pope. Pope Francis' ring was ceremonially broken after his death – a ritual signifying the formal end of his papal authority and marking the transition of leadership and the close of his chapter in Church history.
Perhaps more than any other item, the Fisherman's Ring in popular culture is most closely identified with papal authority. So named in honor of St. Peter the Apostle, a fisherman and the first pope, Catholics who meet the pope traditionally kiss the ring to demonstrate both their respect for the pontiff and their devotion to the Church.
The camerlengo places the Fisherman's Ring on the fourth finger of the pope's right hand, then kneels and kisses it. The pope then removes the ring and gives it to the master of ceremonies, who will have the new pope’s name inscribed on it.
The assembled cardinals next step up in turn and pay homage to the new pope, who leads them in a hymn and also gives them his benediction – the first blessing of his pontificate.
'Habemus papam'
Now fittingly attired in his temporary vestments, the new pope enters St. Peter's Basilica for the formal announcement of his election and the revelation of his identity to the faithful and the world.
With thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square below, the attendant cardinals first emerge onto the side balconies of the St. Peter's Basilica facade. The senior cardinal deacon then appears on the central balcony and declares in Latin: "Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus papam" – "I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope."
The senior cardinal deacon then announces both the birth name of the elected cardinal, and the pontifical name the new pope has chosen for himself.
It is only now – typically a mere hour or so after the white smoke first emerged from the stovepipe chimney of the Sistine Chapel – that the new pope, clad in his papal vestments, steps out onto the balcony and greets the world. He immediately delivers his first Apostolic Urbi et Orbi blessing – meaning to "the city and the world."
Formal installation in office
A ceremonial mass to formally install the new pope is held about a week after his election, either in St. Peter’s Square or basilica, with cardinals, bishops and other international dignitaries present. While the ceremony historically featured far more pomp and pageantry akin to a coronation – including the pope being literally crowned with a triregnum, or three-tiered tiara, and sitting on an ornate papal throne – much of that pageantry has been abandoned.
Pope Paul VI was the last to wear the triregnum, during his installation in 1963. He also was the first to hold the ceremony outdoors, in St. Peter's Square, to accommodate the enormous crowds that wished to attend.
ABC News' Phoebe Natanson contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(LONDON) -- India claimed on Thursday morning to have intercepted "drones and missiles" fired by Pakistan at several military targets throughout northern and western India, saying the overnight attack amounted to a bid by Pakistan to "escalate" the conflict between the two countries.
India also said it targeted Pakistani sites, including a Pakistani air defense system at Lahore, which it said it destroyed.
"Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan," the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement. "Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan."
India on Tuesday and Wednesday launched aerial attacks on Pakistan, about two weeks after a deadly terror attack in the disputed Kashmir region. India blamed Pakistan for that militant attack, the Pahalgam incident, which left 26 people dead in Indian-held Kashmir. Pakistan denied involvement.
At least 16 people have been killed in India, the defense ministry said on Thursday. The Pakistan prime minister's office said Thursday that 31 people were killed in India's missile and drone attacks.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened on Thursday a meeting of his secretaries to discuss "national preparedness," a high-level defense discussion that came as his Pakistani counterpart declared that Pakistan had "once again proven its superiority over its enemy."
The Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on Thursday praised the actions of his country's military over the last few days.
"I salute the heads of all three armed forces and every brave soldier," Sharif said, according to his office. "The 240 million people of Pakistan are proud of their armed forces."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Sharif on Thursday, according to a statement from the prime minister's office. Sharif conveyed to Rubio "Pakistan's condemnation of India's missile and drone strikes" and claimed India's attacks "violated Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to the readout.
Rubio also spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
In both conversations, Rubio "emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation" and "expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan," Bruce said.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(MOSCOW) -- A failed Soviet-era spacecraft that became trapped in Earth’s orbit by mistake more than 50 years ago is forecast to make a crash landing back on Earth in the early morning hours of Saturday, according to space experts.
Cosmos 482, launched in 1972 as part of the Soviet Union's Venera program, which intended to explore Venus, is expected to return to Earth at 3:34 a.m. ET, according to SatTrackCam Leiden, a satellite tracking station in Leiden, the Netherlands.
But because of the uncertainty with its decaying orbit, the lander could come down as early as Friday evening and as late as Saturday afternoon, according to estimates from the European Space Agency, SatTrackCam Leiden and The Aerospace Corporation.
As of Thursday, the landing location was estimated to be anywhere between 52 N and 52 S latitude, according to NASA. This large swath contains the United States, as well as most of the continents on Earth.
Since 70% of the planet is covered with water, it’s likely the probe will land in the ocean but there is a small chance it could hit a populated area.
The craft is about 3.2 feet across and weighs about 1,190 pounds.
The risk of Cosmos 482 striking people on the ground is low, but not impossible, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, wrote on his website last month.
"No need for major concern, but you wouldn't want it bashing you on the head," McDowell wrote.
Cosmos 482 experienced a successful initial launch on March 31, 1972, and temporarily orbited Earth.
However, the unmanned spacecraft did not achieve sufficient velocity to launch into a Venus transfer trajectory, NASA said, and the payload -- or the portion of the craft significantly related to the craft's primary mission -- was unable to exit Earth's orbit.
Astronomers hypothesize that a malfunction on a timer caused the engine to burn prematurely, NASA said.
The spacecraft separated into four pieces. Two of the pieces, which remained in low orbit, decayed within 48 hours. Orbital decay refers to an incremental decrease in altitude, gradually closing a craft's distance to Earth, according to NASA.
The other two pieces -- including the large lander probe -- became stuck in Earth's higher orbit. It has experienced orbital decay for decades, NASA said, and that decay has brought it close enough to reenter the planet's atmosphere around May 10.
Because the probe was designed to withstand entry into Venus' atmosphere -- which is 90 times denser than Earth's -- it is possible that parts of it could survive reentry and continue onward to the planet's surface, according to NASA.
Astronomers are increasingly monitoring space junk left near Earth during launches of satellites and other spacecraft. There are currently more than 1.2 million known pieces of space debris, 50,000 of which measure more than 4 inches across, according to a 2025 report by the European Space Agency.
"Even if we created no new space debris, it would not be enough to prevent a runaway series of collisions and fragmentations," the ESA said in a statement.
ABC News' Matthew Glasser contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
(VATICAN CITY) -- The papal conclave, the secretive election process to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church, commenced on Wednesday, bringing cardinals from all over the world to select the 267th pope.
Since the death of Pope Francis on April 21, a total of 220 cardinals -- the church's highest-ranking clergy -- have gathered in Rome to mourn the loss of the former pontiff and begin the secret conclave.
Overall, 133 cardinals will be voting during the conclave, the most electors ever, with 108 of them appointed by Pope Francis. All cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the election process.
The majority of the cardinals are coming from Europe, including 17 electors from Italy, five from Spain and five from France. There are 16 cardinal electors from North America, including 10 from the United States. Additionally, there are four from Central America, 17 from South America, 18 from Africa, 23 from Asia and four from Oceania. Argentina, the home country of Francis, has four cardinal electors.
All 220 cardinals attended a mass at St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday morning before the start of the conclave. The voting cardinals then proceeded to the Pauline Chapel, then walked in a procession to the Sistine Chapel, where the voting will take place.
Each of the 133 cardinals lined up to place their hand on the Book of the Gospels to take the oath, a promise to keep secret anything relating to the election of the new pope.
Voting commenced when the Master of Ceremony said "extra omnes" -- or "everyone out" -- on Wednesday afternoon, ordering all those who are not cardinal electors to exit the Sistine Chapel prior to the start of the conclave. The voting, which will occur twice daily, will continue until two-thirds of the cardinals have agreed on a pope.
The ballots are burned after each vote and the smoke will emanate from the chimney that was built on top of the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke signifies a decision has not been reached and the voting will continue, whereas white smoke will mean a new holy leader of the church has been confirmed.
The first day of the conclave concluded with black smoke, signifying that the next pope has not been elected yet.
A pope could be elected as soon as the first ballot, or the process could continue for days. Since 1831, no conclave has lasted for more than four days.
Up to four rounds of voting typically take place in a day. If no clear choice has emerged after three days, balloting is suspended for 24 hours to allow cardinal electors time to reflect. Another seven rounds of balloting then takes place, followed by another break, and so on.
If no pope is elected after 33 or 34 votes -- generally about 13 days -- then a new rule introduced by Pope Benedict XVI decrees the two leading candidates as determined by previous ballots will engage in a runoff vote. If the candidates are members of the conclave, they cannot vote in the runoff but are present for it. Whichever candidate receives the necessary two-thirds majority of the votes is the new pope.
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, the archbishop of Algiers, told ABC News it would be "unexpected" if the conclave goes past Friday.
Similarly, the cardinal of Baghdad, Louis Raphael Sako, reportedly told journalists at the Vatican last week that he expects a "short conclave."
"It will be a short conclave, two, three days," Sako said, as quoted by Italy's ANSA news agency.
When asked if he had an idea of who he would vote for to become the new pope, Sako replied, "I have a very clear idea but I cannot say it."
Names of cardinals who appear to be front-runners for the papacy have been swirling since the death of Francis.
Any baptized Catholic male is eligible to take Francis' place, but experts said Pietro Parolin, the cardinal secretary of state, and Luis Tagle, the archbishop of Manila in the Philippines, are the top contenders.
An American cardinal, Robert Prevost, has also started to emerge as a front-runner, according to Father James Martin, a papal contributor for ABC.
Overall, Martin said cardinals will be looking for "someone who is holy, someone who is a good evangelizer who can proclaim the gospel and someone who is a good manager."
"Those three things are tough to find in one person," Martin said Monday on ABC News Live.
During the conclave, recording technology of any kind is forbidden, with technicians checking to ensure there are no secretly installed bugs or other like devices inside the Sistine Chapel or adjacent areas. The cardinals' cellphones will be taken away at the start of the conclave and will be returned to them after the election of the new pope.
ABC News' Christopher Watson and Phoebe Natanson contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.