Habemus papam! Cardinal Robert Prevost, taking the name Leo XIV, has been elected as the new pope. He is the first American pontiff.
Photo: Vatican News
On May 9, he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, a little over an hour after white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that a new pope had been elected.
“Peace be with all you,” Prevost said.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the faithful for the first time as the 267th Pope. pic.twitter.com/tsA1a0XSOM
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
The 69-year-old was born in Chicago and graduated from Villanova University in 1977. He was ordained as a priest four years later. From 2015 to 2023, he served as bishop in Chiclayo, Peru, and was elevated to cardinal in 2023.
He now becomes the 267th pope of the Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Francis who passed away in April.
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