Social media posts claiming that Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo has been elected as the new Pope are false. As of now, no official announcement has been made regarding the election of a new Pope following the death of Pope Francis.

According to official Vatican sources and international media, the conclave to elect the new Pope will begin with a public Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on May 7, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time (1:30 p.m. Sri Lankan time). The formal voting process involving the College of Cardinals is currently underway.

The full list of cardinals eligible to vote in the papal election can be found here.

Link : https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html

Recent international coverage on the papal election process:

BBC News – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15v5n0knv3o

ABC News – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-07/conclave-begins-to-elect-new-pope/105240966

At this time of deep significance for the global Catholic community, FactSeeker urges the public to verify information before sharing, especially on platforms where misinformation can spread rapidly.

Conclusion: No new Pope has been elected yet. The viral news about Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith becoming the 267th Pope is fake.