US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new pope.
He was confirmed by senior cardinal Dominique Mamberti, who came out onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to announce the pontiff to cheering crowds.
Known as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost’s election was heralded by the traditional white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave.
Prevost, 69, hails from Chicago, Illinois, and brings a wealth of global experience to his new role.
Before his election, he served as the head of a key Vatican office responsible for bishop appointments, positioning him as a pivotal figure in continuing the reforms initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
With a deep commitment to missionary work, Prevost spent a significant portion of his career in South America.
He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and served as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023.
His dedication to spreading the Gospel and his focus on global outreach are expected to influence his leadership of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
In his first words as Pope Francis’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo said, “Peace be with you,” and stressed a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization.
He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.
The election of an American to be the 267th pontiff gives the United States — with an estimated 85 million Catholics — enormous new visibility in the Holy See.
Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony overlooking the packed square in his papal robes just before 7:30 p.m. local time Thursday to an eruption of applause, cheers and tears from the crowd below.
Horns began blowing and drums thundered in a processional as the crowd began chanting Prevost’s papal name, “Leo! Leo! Leo! Leo!,” as they waved flags in a scene more akin to a roaring soccer stadium than the seat of the Catholic Church.
Prevost is a mathematics graduate of Villanova University.
Since arriving in Rome for that position, he has helped oversee the rollout of many of Francis’ more progressive reforms — notably playing a part in allowing women to vote on bishop selections.
He also spent much of his career working in Peru — where he also holds citizenship — and was appointed to numerous leadership positions across the world by Francis, indicating the former pope had long had his eye on Prevost as a possible successor.
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