US Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected in a surprise decision to be the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV, thus becoming the first American pontiff.
Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica around 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying that the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.
The choice of Prevost was announced by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti with the Latin words “Habemus Papam” (We have a pope) to tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to hear the news.
Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and was made a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.
Leo becomes the 267th pope of the Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis last month. Francis, the first Latin American pope, had led the Church for 12 years and widely sought to open the institution to the modern world.
Pope Francis enacted a range of reforms and allowed debates on divisive issues such as women’s ordination and better inclusion of LGBT Catholics.
Ahead of the conclave, some cardinals called for continuity with Francis’ vision of greater openness and reform, while others expressed a desire to turn back the clock and embrace older traditions.
(With input from agencies)