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Habemus papam () is a Latin phrase used in—as well as the name of—the announcement of the election of a new pope of the Catholic Church, traditionally given by the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals (the senior cardinal deacon in the College) or by the senior cardinal deacon participating in the conclave.
The announcement is made from the central balcony ( loggia) of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, overlooking St. Peter's Square. After the announcement, the new pope is presented to the people where he gives his first Urbi et Orbi blessing.
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Fratelli e sorelle carissimi, Queridísimos hermanos y hermanas, Bien chers frères et sœurs, Liebe Brüder und Schwestern, Dear brothers and sisters,
"Fear not; for, behold, I bring thee good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For unto thee is born, this day, in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
In the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible by St. Jerome), the words used are " Evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum", while the word " annuntio" was used in previous translations.
The adoption of this formula is dated from the election of Odo Colonna as Pope Martin V (1417), who was chosen as the new pope by the cardinals and representatives from different countries at the Council of Constance. In this context, prior to Martin V, there were three claimants to the papal throne: Antipope John XXIII (who had called for the council, and appointed most of the cardinal electors), Antipope Benedict XIII (the only one to have been named cardinal before the outbreak of the Western Schism) and Pope Gregory XII. The first two were deposed by the Council itself, and Gregory XII abdicated after formally convoking the already convened council and authorizing its acts including the act of electing his successor. Two years after the first two contenders were deposed and the resignation of the third, the council elected the new pope. The announcement, therefore, could be interpreted as: "(Finally) we have a pope (and only one!)".
The habemus papam formula was adopted before 1484, the year in which it was used to announce the election of Giovanni Cybo, who took the name of Innocent VIII. It was most recently given by Dominique Mamberti after the election of Pope Leo XIV on 8 May 2025.
During the last century, the new papal name has often been given in the genitive case in Latin, corresponding to the translation "who takes the name of ..." (e.g. Ioannis Vigesimi Tertii, Ioannis Pauli Primi), although it can also be declined in the accusative case, corresponding to the translation "who takes the name ...". In the situation where the name is declined in the genitive, the name is considered as a complement of the noun " nomen" while in the instance where the name is declined in the accusative, it is considered as an apposition of the direct object complement nomen in the accusative. Both forms are equally correct. According to certain Latin grammarians though, like Nicola Flocchini, Piera Guidotti Bacci and the Maiorum Lingua Manual, the accusative is the more correct form.Nicola Flocchini, Piera Guidotti Bacci, Marco Moscio, Maiorum Lingua Manuale, Bompiani per la scuola, Milano 2007, p. 309.
In the announcement of Pius XII's election, his regnal name was declined in the accusative, like the later announcements in 1963 and 2013 where Paul VI's and Pope Francis's regnal names were announced as Paulum Sextum and Franciscum, respectively. During the announcement of Benedict XVI's election, his regnal name was declined by Cardinal Medina in the genitive case (he said Benedicti Decimi Sexti), but in the Holy See website, the page announcing his election with a copy of the Habemus papam formula has Benedict's regnal name declined in the accusative case (i.e., Benedictum Decimum Sextum
Announcement
Grammatical case of papal name
In announcing the name of the newly elected pontiff, the new pontiff's birth first name is announced in Latin, usually in the accusative case (e.g. Carolum, Giovanni Paolo II elezione. YouTube. Accessed on April 23, 2014. Announcement of John Paul II becoming Pope October 1978 . YouTube. Accessed on March 16, 2012. Iosephum, Georgium Marium,
Holy See website on Francis' election. Retrieved March 13, 2013. Habemus Papam, Franciscus. YouTube. Retrieved March 16, 2013. Robertum Franciscum), but the new pontiff's surname is announced in the Latin declension form (e.g. Wojtyła, Ratzinger, Bergoglio, Prevost), as it is indeclinable.
Holy See website on Benedict XVI's election. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
The numeral in the papal name if it exists can be omitted if the new regnal name is the same as the one used by the immediate predecessor, as was the case in October 1978, when John Paul II's regnal name was announced simply as Ioannis Pauli without the numeral, since his immediate predecessor was John Paul I. It also happened in 1939, when Pius XII's regnal name, following his election, was announced simply as Pium since his immediate predecessor was Pius XI.
| 29 August 1484 | Francesco Piccolomini | Giovanni Cybo – elected Innocent VIII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Reverendissimus Dominus Cardinalis Melfictensis electus est in summum pontificem et elegit sibi nomen Innocentium Octavum.L. Thuasne (red.), Johannis Burchardi Argentinensis Diarium sive Rerum Urbanum commentarii, Vol. I, Paris 1883, pp. 62–63. | I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope: The Most Reverend Lord Cardinal, Bishop of Molfetta, has been elected as supreme pontiff, and has chosen for himself the name Innocent the Eighth. |
| 1 November 1503 | Raffaele Riario | Giuliano della Rovere – elected Julius II | Papam habemus: Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Sancti Petri ad Vincula, qui vocatur Julius Secundus.Giovanni Battista Gattico, Acta Selecta Caremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae. Tomus I, Rome 1753, p. 309. | We have a pope: The Most Reverend Lord Cardinal Priest of San Pietro in Vincoli, who is called Julius the Second. |
| 11 March 1513 | Alessandro Farnese | Giovanni de' Medici – elected Leo X Cardinal protodeacon at time of election | Gaudium magnum nuntio vobis; papam habemus: Reverendissimum Dominum Iohannem de Medicis, Diaconum Cardinalem Sanctae Mariae in Domenica, qui vocatur Leo Decimus.Herbert Vaughan, The Medici popes : Leo X and Clement VII, London 1908, p. 108. | A great joy I announce to you; we have a pope: The Most Reverend Lord Giovanni de' Medici, Cardinal Deacon of Santa Maria in Domnica, who is called Leo the Tenth. |
| 13 October 1534 | Innocenzo Cybo | Alessandro Farnese – elected Paul III | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Reverendissimum Dominum Alexandrum Episcopum Hostiensem, Cardinalem de Farnesio nuncupatum, qui imposuit sibi nomen Paulus Tertius.Giovanni Battista Gattico, Acta Selecta Caremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae. Tomus I, Rome 1753, p. 328. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Reverend Lord Alexander, Designated Bishop of Ostia and Cardinal Farnese, who has taken upon himself the name Paul the Third. |
| 15 September 1644 | Francesco Barberini | Giovanni Pamphili – elected Innocent X | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Iohannem Baptistum Pamphilium, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Decimum. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent the Tenth. |
| 7 April 1655 | Giangiacomo Teodoro Trivulzio | Fabio Chigi – elected Alexander VII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fabium, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Chisium, qui elegit sibi nomen Alexandrum Septimum.Giovanni Battista Gattico, Acta Selecta Caremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae. Tomus I, Rome 1753, p. 359. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Fabio, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church Chigi, who has chosen for himself the name Alexander the Seventh. |
| 29 April 1670 | Francesco Maidalchini | Emilio Altieri – elected Clement X | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimus ac Reverendissimus Dominus Aemilius, Sanctae Romanae Eclessiae Presbyter Cardinalis Alterius, electus est in summum Pontificem, qui sibi nomen imposuit: Clemens Decimus. Christian Gastel: Tractatus de statu publico Europae. N.p., n.p, 1675. P. 74 | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Emilio, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church Altieri, has been elected to the highest pontificate, who has taken upon himself the name: Clement the Tenth. |
| 21 September 1676 | Benedetto Odeschalchi – elected Innocent XI | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Reverendissimum Benedictum, Titulo Sancti Honufrii Cardinalem Odeschalcum, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentium Undecimum.Giovanni Battista Gattico, Acta Selecta Caremonialia Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae. Tomus I, Rome 1753, p. 361. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Reverend Lord Benedetto, Cardinal Priest of the title of Sant'Onofrio, Odescalchi, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent the Eleventh. | |
| 8 May 1721 | Benedetto Pamphili | Michelangelo dei Conti – elected Innocent XIII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Michaelem Angelum, Tituli Sanctorum Quirici et Iulitta Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem de Comitibus, qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentius Decimus Tertius. Relazione della morte ... Clemente XI., Venice 1721, no. 11, pp. 9–10. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Michelangelo, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Santi Quirico e Giulitta, Conti, who has taken upon himself the name Innocent the Thirteenth. |
| 29 May 1724 | Pierfrancesco Orsini – elected Benedict XIII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Fratrem Vincentium Mariam Cardinalem Ursinum, Episcopum Portuensem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus Decimus Tertius. Diario ordinario, Rome, Numero 1065 of 31 May 1724, p. 7. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Brother Vincenzo Maria Cardinal Orsini, Bishop of Porto, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict the Thirteenth. | |
| 12 July 1730 | Lorenzo Altieri | Lorenzo Corsini – elected Clement XII | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Laurentium, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Corsinum Episcopum Tusculanum, qui sibi Nomen imposuit Clemens Duodecimus. | I announce to you great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Lorenzo Cardinal Corsini of the Holy Roman Church, Bishop of Tusculana, who has taken upon himself the name Clement the Twelfth. |
| 17 August 1740 | Carlo Maria Marini | Prospero Lambertini – elected Benedict XIV | Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Prosperum, tituli Sanctae Crucis in Ierusalem, Presbyterum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Lambertinum, Archiepiscopum Bononiensem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictus Decimus Quartus. | I announce to you great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Prospero, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Lambertini, Archbishop of Bologna, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict the Fourteenth. |
| 15 February 1775 | Alessandro Albani | Giovanni Braschi – elected Pius VI | Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioannem Angelum, tituli Sancti Onuphrii Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Braschi, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Sextus. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most eminent and Most Reverend Lord Giovanni Angelo, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Sant'Onofrio Braschi, who has taken upon himself the name Pius the Sixth. |
| 28 September 1823 | Fabrizio Ruffo | Annibale della Genga – elected Leo XII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Annibalem, tituli Sanctae Mariae Transtiberim, Presbyterum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Della Genga, qui sibi imposuit nomen Leo Duodecimus.Artaud de Montor, Histoire du Pape Léon XII., vol. 1, Paris 1843, p. 79. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Annibale, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church of the title of Santa Maria in Trastevere Della Genga, who has taken upon himself the name Leo the Twelfth. |
| 2 February 1831 | Giuseppe Albani | Bartolomeo Cappellari – elected Gregory XVI | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Maurum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem Cappellari, qui sibi nomen imposuit Gregorius Decimus Sextus. Diario di Roma. Del 5 Febbrajo 1831. Num. 10, s. 4.Gaetano Moroni, Dizionario Di Erudizione Storico-Ecclesiastica. Vol. XV, Venice 1842, p. 317. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Mauro, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church Cappellari, who has taken upon himself the name Gregory the Sixteenth. |
| 17 June 1846 | Tommaso Riario Sforza | Giovanni Mastai-Ferretti – elected Pius IX | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; papam habemus: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioannem Mariam Mastai Ferretti, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Presbyterum Cardinalem, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Nonus.Maurizio Marocco, Storia di papa Pio IX., Torino 1856, p. 158.¸ | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti, Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church, who has taken upon himself the name Pius the Ninth. |
| 20 February 1878 | Prospero Caterini | Gioacchino Pecci – elected Leo XIII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum Ioachim Pecci, qui sibi nomen imposuit Leonis Decimi Tertii. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Gioacchino Pecci, who has taken upon himself the name Leo the Thirteenth. |
| 4 August 1903 | Aloysius Macchi | Giuseppe Sarto – elected Pius X | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Cardinalem Iosephum Sarto, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Decimus. Acta Sanctae Sedis, Vol. 36 (1903), p. 5. La Civiltà cattolica, Serie X, vol. V, quad. 1276 | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto, who has taken upon himself the name Pius the Tenth. |
| 3 September 1914 | Francesco Salesio Della Volpe | Giacomo della Chiesa – elected Benedict XV | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Iacobum della Chiesa, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedictum Decimum Quintum. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol. 6 (1914), p. 457. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Cardinal Giacomo della Chiesa, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict the Fifteenth. |
| 6 February 1922 | Gaetano Bisleti | Achille Ratti – elected Pius XI | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Achillem Ratti, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pius Undecimus. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol. 14 (1922), p. 133. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Cardinal Achille Ratti, who has taken upon himself the name Pius the Eleventh. |
| 2 March 1939 | Camillo Caccia Dominioni | Eugenio Pacelli – elected Pius XII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Eugenium, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Pacelli, qui sibi nomen imposuit Pium. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Eugenio, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Pacelli, who has taken upon himself the name Pius. |
| 28 October 1958 | Nicola Canali | Angelo Roncalli – elected John XXIII | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Angelum Iosephum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Roncalli, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Vigesimi Tertii. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Angelo Giuseppe, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Roncalli, who has taken upon himself the name John the Twenty-Third. |
| 21 June 1963 | Alfredo Ottaviani | Giovanni Montini – elected Paul VI | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum et Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Ioannem Baptistam, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Montini, qui sibi nomen imposuit Paulum Sextum. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Giovanni Battista, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Montini, who has taken upon himself the name Paul the Sixth. |
| 26 August 1978 | Pericle Felici | Albino Luciani – elected John Paul I | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Albinum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Luciani, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli Primi. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Albino, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Luciani, who has taken upon himself the name John Paul the First. |
| 16 October 1978 | Karol Wojtyła – elected John Paul II | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Carolum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Wojtyła, qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis Pauli. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Karol, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Wojtyła, who has taken upon himself the name John Paul. | |
| 19 April 2005 | Jorge Medina | Joseph Ratzinger – elected Benedict XVI | Fratelli e sorelle carissimi! ¡Queridísimos hermanos y hermanas! Biens chers frères et sœurs! Liebe Brüder und Schwestern! Dear brothers and sisters! Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Iosephum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ratzinger, qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedicti Decimi Sexti. | ("Dear brothers and sisters" in Italian, Spanish, French, German, and English) I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Joseph, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Ratzinger, who has taken upon himself the name Benedict the Sixteenth. |
| 13 March 2013 | Jean-Louis Tauran | Jorge Bergoglio – elected Pope Francis | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium Marium, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Bergoglio, qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Jorge Mario, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Bergoglio, who has taken upon himself the name Francis. |
| 8 May 2025 | Dominique Mamberti | Robert Francis Prevost – elected Leo XIV | Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Robertum Franciscum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost, qui sibi nomen imposuit Leonem Decimum Quartum. | I announce to you a great joy; we have a pope: The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Robert Francis, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Prevost, who has taken upon himself the name Leo the Fourteenth. |
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