In a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church, Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on Thursday, choosing the papal name Leo XIV after being elected by cardinals from around the world. The 267th pope now leads the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel at 6:00 pm local time (1600 GMT), signaling his election on the second day of conclave voting. Bells rang across Rome as tens of thousands packed into St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers when Prevost appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling, and bowing.
“Peace be with you,” he told the crowd.
The moment was marked by jubilation. A priest was seen hoisted on someone’s shoulders waving a Brazilian flag, while another lifted a crucifix into the air. Phones lit up the square as the faithful captured history in real-time.
“Habemus papam, woooo!” howled Bruna Hodara, 41, from Brazil, echoing the Latin phrase announcing a new pope. Others shouted, “Viva Il Papa!” — “Long live the pope!” in Italian.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Joseph Brian, 39, a chef from Belfast. “I’m not an overly religious person but, being here with all these people just blew me away.”
Florian Fried, 15, from Munich, called it a “once in a lifetime opportunity… I’m excited!”
Prevost succeeds Pope Francis, the Argentine reformer who died last month at age 88 after a 12-year papacy marked by efforts to humanize the Church and address social issues, often angering conservatives.
The new pope now faces a daunting task: reuniting a divided Church, restoring moral authority amid the ongoing sexual abuse crisis, and addressing global instability. As one Vatican official noted, the next pontiff must lead “at this difficult and complex turning point in history”.
The conclave that elected Leo XIV was the most international in Church history, comprising 133 cardinal electors from 70 countries, with 80% appointed by Francis. Sworn to secrecy under threat of excommunication, their only signal to the outside world was smoke—black for inconclusive ballots, white for a successful vote.
Though the number of ballots cast remains undisclosed, the process wrapped up in less than two days, continuing a modern trend of swift decisions. After his election, the new pope followed tradition by entering the Room of Tears, donning the papal cassock, and then returning to the Sistine Chapel where cardinals pledged obedience.
Leo XIV is expected to celebrate his papal inauguration Mass within a week, attended by political and religious leaders worldwide. As he begins his tenure, questions remain: will he be a pastor or a diplomat, a progressive or a conservative? What is certain is that history has been made.
