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Inside the conclave

Caren Bohan   Paste BN

All eyes were on the chimney. In a process cloaked in secrecy, 133 cardinals met beneath frescoed ceilings in the iconic Sistine Chapel to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.  

After the white smoke signaled a decision, Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native, emerged as the new pope. Prevost took the name Leo XIV and made history as the first U.S.-born leader of the Catholic Church. 

For the Paste BN journalists covering the story, the conclave was a caffeine-fueled enterprise, given the six-hour time difference between Rome and the U.S. East Coast. 

“Waiting for the smoke is like watching paint dry, but you have to be ready to spring into action like a cat,” says Jennifer Portman, managing editor for Nation at Paste BN. “It requires a weird kind of concentration.” 

👋 Paste BN Editor-in-Chief Caren Bohan here. Happy Mother’s Day, and welcome to The Backstory, our newsletter exclusively for subscribers (that’s you!). I’ll be taking you behind the scenes of our breaking news coverage, scoops and unique storytelling. Today, I’m putting a spotlight on two major news events this week: the papal conclave and the Met Gala.

First, here’s a glimpse at some of my favorite reads this week from Paste BN. 

Covering a historic conclave

Through the coverage of the death of Pope Francis and the selection of his successor, our daily effort was anchored by the veteran Paste BN team of editor Susan Miller and reporter John Bacon. Miller and Bacon are our undisputed breaking news live story experts, regularly taking on updating the biggest news of day, and working with Kim Hjelmgaard, our London correspondent and other journalists across our team. 

As Portman notes, the team is always “on the lookout for the surprising, the interesting, the just plain fun.” 

This included the appearance of an array of seagulls perched on the chapel’s roof, which sent social media aflutter.  

Dive into further conclave coverage from Paste BN:

Which stars shined at the Met Gala? 

The theme of the May 5 Met Gala was a celebration of Black menswear. Paste BN had an exclusive spot on the blue carpet. 

A-list guests were asked to reimagine Black "dandy" fashion. Defined as a "man unduly devoted to style," the term became associated with Black men in 18th-century Europe as a trend of smartly dressed servant staff emerged. 

"Dandyism offered Black people an opportunity to use clothing, gesture, irony and wit to transform their given identities and imagine new ways of embodying political and social possibilities," according to a statement from the Met.  

Paste BN entertainment reporter Edward Segarra named Sabrina Carpenter, Colman Domingo, Zendaya and Diana Ross as some of the standout fashions.

“If the Met Gala is the Olympics of celebrity fashion, these stars are going for the gold,” Segarra wrote. 

Entertainment editor Anika Reed watched the entrance of attendees such as A$AP Rocky, Spike Lee, Janelle Monaé, Usher and others. 

“A focus on Black history and personal style was inherent in each ensemble, from Diana Ross' feathered 18-foot train to Rihanna's reveal of her baby bump,” Reed wrote. 

If you're Met Gala obsessed (like me), here's more coverage from Paste BN

Thank you

As always, thank you for your continued support of our newsroom. Paste BN's incredible reporting would not be possible without our subscriber community.

Take care and chat next week!

Caren

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