Robert Francis Prevost Becomes First American to Be Elected Pope by the World's 1.4 Billion Catholics

Robert Francis Prevost Becomes First American to Be Elected Pope by the World's 1.4 Billion Catholics

Robert Prevost has been elected the new pope by the Vatican City. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time an American has ascended to the papacy.

Earlier, following the voting process, white smoke was seen rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel — a traditional signal that a new pope has been chosen and that the cardinals have selected a successor to Pope Francis.

A papal tapestry was hung on the balcony of the Sistine Chapel. Cardinals gathered on the left and right sides of the balcony, facing the crowd in St. Peter’s Square. Before the new pope appeared on the balcony, his name was officially announced.

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago, addressed the public in his first speech from the balcony, saying:
"Peace be upon you all."

The news of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost being elected as the new pope sparked celebration and joy among the crowd gathered at the Vatican.

Addressing the enthusiastic crowd in Italian, the 69-year-old pope said:
"Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ. Wherever you are, I send a message of peace to your families. Peace be upon you all."
Before Pope Leo appeared, the excited crowd could be heard chanting “Viva il Papa!” — an Italian phrase meaning “Long live the Pope!”

As the search for the next leader of the Catholic Church concluded, flags were raised and people embraced one another in celebration.

Pope Francis passed away on April 21st at the age of 88. This led to the initiation of the process to elect a new pope.

The official procedures for the papal election began on Wednesday morning with a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, presided over by 91-year-old Cardinal Dean Giovanni Battista Re.

This conclave of cardinals elected the 267th pope — a process known as the Conclave.

On Thursday morning, a large number of people gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica. Many speculated that white smoke might appear today, revealing the name of the next pope. However, after the third round of voting at 11 a.m., black smoke was seen instead.
Once white smoke is seen, it typically takes about an hour before the new pope dons the traditional vestments and appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Square.

After that, a senior cardinal participating in the conclave officially announces the decision in Latin, exclaiming:
“Habemus Papam”, which means “We have a pope” in English.

The cardinal then announces the new pope’s name. This may be the pope's birth name, or a new name chosen for the role.

When a pope dies (or resigns, as Pope Benedict XVI did in 2013 — a rare occurrence), a conclave of cardinals is convened at the Vatican.

The Conclave is the formal name for the election process of a new pope.

During the time between the death (or resignation) of the current pope and the election of the new pope, all Church affairs are handled by the College of Cardinals.

The voting process takes place inside the Sistine Chapel, whose walls are adorned with paintings by Michelangelo. The cardinals vote in strict secrecy, each casting their ballot for their preferred candidate.

This election process can sometimes take several days.

In the past, conclaves have lasted as long as a week, or even a month. There have been instances where cardinals passed away during the voting process.

During this time, the only indication of how the papal election is progressing is the color of the smoke.

After each voting session, ballots are burned in a designated furnace, and smoke rises from the chapel’s chimney twice a day.

• Black smoke means no pope has been elected.

• White smoke signifies that a new pope has been chosen.