Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the papal name Leo XIV. The announcement was made on Thursday evening following two days of deliberations by the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel.
At approximately 6:45 p.m. local time, white smoke billowed from the chapel’s chimney and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica rang out, signaling that a new pope had been chosen. Shortly afterward, the 69-year-old Prevost, a Chicago native, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s to deliver his first address as pontiff.
“Let us walk together as one family, caring for the poor, the marginalized, and our common home,” Pope Leo XIV told the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He concluded with a prayer for peace, reflecting his long-standing role in Vatican diplomacy.
Prevost succeeds Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88. The conclave, which began on May 7, included 133 cardinal electors from 70 countries. After two unsuccessful ballots, the third vote produced the required two-thirds majority to elect Prevost.
Born on September 14, 1955, to a family of French and Italian descent, Prevost has served as the Vatican’s chief diplomat since 2013. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2014 by Pope Francis and most recently served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
His election marks the first time in the Church’s 2,000-year history that a pope hails from the United States. Vatican analysts see his selection as a continuation of the pastoral and globally engaged vision advanced by Pope Francis.
The conclave proceedings were conducted in strict secrecy, with the cardinals sequestered from all outside communication until a decision was reached. The swift consensus—matching the timeline of the previous two papal elections—suggests broad support for Prevost within the College of Cardinals.
Pope Leo XIV now leads a global Catholic population estimated at 1.4 billion people.
