In a moment that has stunned the world and marked a historic shift for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the new Pope—becoming the first American ever to ascend to the papacy.
A wave of excitement swept through St Peter's Square as white smoke dramatically billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on the second day of the secret conclave, signaling that the College of Cardinals had reached a decision.
Taking the papal name Leo XIV, the newly elected pontiff now stands at the helm of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, ushering in a new chapter for the Church.
The atmosphere was electric as tens of thousands of faithful erupted in cheers upon seeing Prevost emerge onto the grand balcony of St Peter's Basilica. Smiling warmly, waving with both hands, and humbly bowing, he greeted the world with his first words as pope: “Peace be with you.”
In a solemn and time-honored tradition, his election was announced in Latin, introducing him as Papa Leo Quartus Decimus.
Pope Leo XIV succeeds Argentine-born Pope Francis, whose decade-long tenure was defined by bold reforms and efforts to modernize the Church. As the first American pope, Leo XIV’s election signals a potentially transformative era in the Catholic Church’s global leadership.
