Episode 1 — The New Pope : Season 1

The episode ends with Francis II’s sudden death—implied to be an assassination—and a comatose Lenny Belardo moving his finger for the first time.

Introduced briefly as the potential moderate replacement for the next conclave. Viewing Guide & Highlights The New Pope Review: Season 1 Episode 1 - Tell-Tale TV The New Pope : Season 1 Episode 1

Nine months after his sudden heart attack, (Lenny Belardo) remains comatose, while a cult of followers gathers outside his hospital, treating him as a living saint. Worried about the rise of "Pius-idolatry," the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Voiello , moves to elect a new pope. The episode ends with Francis II’s sudden death—implied

Mostly seen comatose, though he remains the central figure of the show's cult-like devotion. Worried about the rise of "Pius-idolatry," the Vatican’s

In the series premiere of The New Pope (the follow-up to The Young Pope ), the Vatican is thrown into chaos as Pope Pius XIII remains in a coma. This guide covers the key events, characters, and stylistic choices from Season 1, Episode 1.

After a deadlocked conclave between Voiello and his doppelganger, , Voiello engineers a tactical vote for a supposedly malleable candidate: Cardinal Viglietti . Taking the name Pope Francis II , Viglietti unexpectedly becomes a radical reformer, opening the Vatican to refugees and demanding the Cardinals surrender their personal wealth.