Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old American with deep ties to Latin America, has been elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first American in history to be elected pope.
The announcement followed the traditional white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling the end of the conclave. Hours later, the Vatican confirmed Prevost’s election, surprising many who had not seen him as a leading contender before the vote.
Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!
The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV. pic.twitter.com/7COawsKvWu
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
The delay in revealing the pope’s identity reflected the intricate customs that follow an election. After securing the required two-thirds majority vote, the pope-elect is asked by the cardinal dean if he accepts the decision.
Once he accepts, he is led to the “Room of Tears,” a private chamber where he puts on the papal vestments and spends a moment in reflection and prayer.
He then returns to the Sistine Chapel, where each cardinal individually pledges obedience. According to Vatican sources, Pope Leo XIV took time to greet each cardinal personally before proceeding.
Only after these formalities does the cardinal protodeacon appear on the balcony to make the traditional “Habemus Papam” announcement. That declaration—“We have a pope”—officially introduces the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church to the world.
Born in Chicago, Prevost is also a Peruvian citizen. He spent years in Peru serving first as a missionary, then as the archbishop of Chiclayo. His cross-cultural background, pastoral experience, and long-standing leadership in the Church gave him unique visibility among the cardinals.
He led the Augustinian order twice as its top global authority and was brought back to Peru in 2014 by Pope Francis after serving in that role. He remained in Peru until 2023, when Francis called him to Rome for one of the Church’s most powerful positions: head of the office that oversees bishop nominations globally.
Though he kept a low public profile in Rome, Prevost was well known to senior Church leadership. In his role, he worked closely with Catholic leaders across continents, especially in Latin America — still home to the largest population of Catholics in the world.
In 2023, he was also appointed president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, further cementing his influence in Church affairs across the region.
Prevost’s appointment to these positions gave him visibility and credibility heading into the conclave, even if he was not widely discussed in public speculation.
Pope Leo XIV greets the world for the first time to grant his Urbi et Orbi blessing. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th Successor of Peter by the 133 Cardinal electors on Thursday, May 8. pic.twitter.com/Xzusx6gLoe
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
Prevost played a key role in some of Pope Francis’s most notable reforms. He presided over a major shift in Church governance when three women were added to the group that helps decide which bishops are nominated — a move widely seen as groundbreaking in the Vatican’s history.
In early 2025, Pope Francis elevated Prevost to the highest rank within the College of Cardinals, a gesture that many now interpret as a strong signal of endorsement from the late pontiff.
Leo XIV now assumes leadership at a time of global uncertainty and internal Church challenges. He inherits the legacy of Pope Francis, who emphasized inclusion, environmental care, and attention to the marginalized.
As the Catholic Church begins this new chapter, all eyes turn to how Pope Leo XIV will shape its future, balancing tradition with the growing call for reform, unity, and pastoral care around the world.
