Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th pope and has stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
This comes after white smoke billowed above the Sistine Chapel, the signal that cardinals had selected a new pontiff on the second day of the conclave. Vardinal Robert Prevost will be now know as Pope Leo XIV
Robert Prevost, age 69, from Chicago, Illinois, is the first ever pope from the United States of America. In his first words as pope adressing the crowd he said sai: “Peace be with you all.”
Related: Pope Francis Dies At Age 88, Vatican Annouces
Related Posts
Addressing the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, Leo paid tribute to the late pontiff Francis, urging the crowd to remember his predecessor’s legacy before outlining his vision for the Catholic Church.
He said, “we have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue.” Speaking in Italian to thousands of Catholic faithful, Leo called on people to “show our charity” to others “and be in dialog with love.”
Leo was chosen just two days after 133 Cardinals met in conclave to pick a new pontiff. That timeline corresponds to the previous two gatherings, implying that Prevost quickly impressed his peers during the covert procedure. Francis and Benedict XVI were both revealed in the evening of the conclave’s second day, whereas John Paul II, the longest-reigning pope in modern history, was chosen on the third day in 1978.
