Eighteen days after Pope Francis last appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, his successor -- the 267th pope -- emerged.

White smoke from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday signaled that the cardinals have selected the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Already, “Conclave” appears to be the most relevant movie of the year, whether by coincidence or providence. The inner workings of Vatican affairs now have a spotlight unlike we’ve ever seen in pop culture, giving “life imitates art” a whole new meaning.