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Robert Francis Prevost, American cardinal, elected as new pope

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US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on April 26, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis died on April 21st at the age of 88. Born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to become Pope when elected in 2013. Taking the name Francis after St Francis of Assisi, he promoted a more humble version of the papacy than many of his predecessors. He will be buried outside the Vatican in a simple wooden coffin at the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images).
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A cardinal from the United States has been elected as the new pope to lead the Catholic Church.

His Christian name is Robert Francis Prevost and he has chosen the papal name of Leo the XIV (fourteenth). He was of the order of Saint Augustine and was born and raised in Chicago.

White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney this afternoon, indicating that a pope has been elected.

Tens of thousands of people chanted “Love live the Pope” and celebrated the news in St. Peter’s Square, and welcomed the new pope as he waved from the balcony of the Vatican.

The sixty-nine-year old delivered his message in Italian and Spanish and paid homage to the late Pope Francis and his cardinal brothers.

Addressing the ecstatic crowd below — and the world — he proclaimed “May God’s peace be with you,” ending his speech with a papal blessing.

The newly appointed pope added that he hoped to be a “builder of peace” in his ministry.

Today was the second day of voting for the conclave of 133 cardinals who were appointed to vote for a new pope. The white smoke appeared shortly after 6 p.m. Rome time.

Black smoke appeared from the chimney late yesterday and again this morning after a few rounds of voting.

Two-thirds or 89 votes from the cardinals were needed to elect the 267th pontiff. Seventy countries were represented in what was the largest cardinal electorate in the Church’s history.

Pope Francis, who was appointed head of the Catholic Church on March 13 of 2013, was also elected on the afternoon of the second day of voting after five ballots. The Argentinian pope died on April 21.

The announcement of Pope Leo the XIV ended with church bells ringing and the Swiss Guard Band jubilantly playing and marching past the crowds.

Before his papacy, he served for two decades in Peru where he became a bishop and a naturalized citizen. From there he rose to lead his international religious order.

Pope Leo the XIV’s formal coronation will likely take place in a few days.

He is the first American cardinal to be appointed head of the Catholic Church.

This is a developing news story. More to come.

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