Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, has been elected as the 267th pope, taking the reins of the Roman Catholic Church after the death of Pope Francis last month.
He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV as he makes history as the first American-born Pope in the history of Roman Catholic Church.
Before his election today, Cardinal Robert Prevost who was born in Chicago, is an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops.
For now, Pope Leo XIV is said to be a moderate who could unite the progressive wing of the church with the conservatives.
White smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday afternoon, signifying to the world that the College of Cardinals had reached the required two-thirds majority on the new pope.
The election of Pope Leo XIV represents a significant milestone as he became the first American-born pontiff in the Catholics’ history.
The announcement came on Thursday evening when white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, signalling the successful conclusion of the papal conclave.
The conclave began on May 7, 2025 with the cardinals tasked with the responsibility to elect Pope Francis’s successor.
A black smoke billowed on the first day of the conclave after the first round of voting. This led to the continuation of voting on Thursday.
In the first round of Thursday’s voting, black smoke emitted from the chimney placed on the Sistine Chapel.
However, the second round of voting on Thursday proved the difference as a white smoke announced the election of Prevost as the new leader of the Roman Catholic.
Cardinal Prevost has taken the papal name Leo XIV, a huge name for a pontiff in the history of the church after he emerged as the successor to Pope Francis, whose death on Easter Monday 2025 prompted the gathering of 133 cardinal electors in Rome.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago native, is expected to bring a unique blend of pastoral experience and administrative expertise to the papacy.
Ordained in 1982, Prevost spent much of his career outside the United States, notably serving as a missionary and bishop in Peru for over two decades.
His international background, including his role as a naturalized Peruvian citizen, has earned him the reputation of a “churchman who transcends borders.”
Since 2023, he has served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful Vatican office responsible for vetting and appointing bishops worldwide.
This role elevated his prominence among cardinals, making him a strong contender in the conclave.
The Catholic faithful and the world now watch as Pope Leo XIV begins his pontificate.
