The New Pope : Season 1 Episode - 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.

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 New Pope : Season 1 Episode 1

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. The episode ends with Francis II’s sudden death—implied

The shadowy Ambassador of the Holy See who provides "expository clarity" and is linked to Francis II’s sudden demise. In the series premiere of The New Pope

The short-lived pope whose radical Franciscan humility threatens the Vatican elite.

The Machiavellian Secretary of State trying to maintain control through a puppet pope.