Pope Leo XIV Becomes First U.S.-Born Pontiff in Historic Conclave Election

Cardinal Robert Prevost has become the inaugural US leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church – using the name Pope Leo XIV And conveying to everyone: "May peace be upon you all."

The newly elected pope was required to surmount the stigma of having an American pope Given the significant influence already held by the United States in global politics within the non-religious domain, they managed to achieve this following the fourth ballot during the secret proceedings. conclave That selects the pope. White smoke rose from a chimney at the top of the Vatican. Sistine Chapel , indicating that the 133 cardinal electors reached their decision following two days of voting.

Check out the most recent developments in our live blog.

About an hour after the smoke rose around 6 pm local time, Pope Leo emerged onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Addressing the jubilant gathering below, he said, "May peace be upon you all," delivering his remarks fluently in Italian. Although he briefly addressed them in Spanish as well, he chose not to speak in English.

The late Pope Francis The 69-year-old was brought to the Vatican in 2023 as the influential leader of the department responsible for reviewing bishop candidates, which is among the most crucial roles within the Catholic Church. Hailing originally from Chicago, Pope Leo has primarily served as a missionary in Peru throughout his career. He seldom grants media interviews and generally avoids public speaking engagements.

President Donald Trump quickly sent his congratulations to the newly elected Pope. What thrilling times we live in! This is such a tremendous honor for our nation. I am eagerly anticipating my audience with Pope Leo XIV; it promises to be an incredibly significant moment!

Various global leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer of the UK and Vladimir Putin of Russia, similarly stepped forward to extend their congratulations to the pope.

After the passing of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff who helmed the Church for 12 years with an aim to bring the traditional institution into alignment with contemporary times, Leo assumes the position as the 267th Catholic pope this month.

Francis implemented various reforms and permitted discussions on contentious topics like the ordination of women and improving the integration of LGBT+ Catholics into the church.

In his address, Leo expressed gratitude towards Francis and echoed the sentiment of his predecessor, urging for a Church that actively participates in contemporary society and "continues to seek peace, foster charity, and remain closely connected to individuals, particularly those enduring hardships."

The most recent Pope to adopt the name Leo guided the Church between 1878 and 1903. He was renowned for his strong emphasis on social justice matters and is frequently acknowledged as the architect of contemporary Catholic social doctrine.

The newly appointed pope has garnered attention from fellow leaders due to his unassuming demeanor and backing of Francis, particularly his dedication to addressing social equity concerns.

This gathering stood as the biggest and most varied assembly ever held to choose a new pope throughout its long history. Many of those selected, hailing from 70 different nations, were chosen by the recently deceased Pope Francis.

On Wednesday morning, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re stated during the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica that the selection of the new pope "does not represent merely a change from one individual to another" as he delivered his homily.

He encouraged the cardinals to pray for a pope who understands how to stir the consciousness of everyone and channel the ethical and spiritual forces within contemporary society effectively.

"Let the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church, advocate with her loving protection for the Holy Spirit to illuminate the thoughts of the cardinal electors and assist them in agreeing upon the Pope who our era requires," he stated.

Although the assembly for Pope Francis concluded within two days, the longest such event spanned almost three years until the selection of Pope Gregory X in 1271.

After a cardinal secures the necessary 89 votes, they are questioned about their acceptance of the position. Upon giving an affirmative response, they must then select a papal name.

Next, he is led to a modest room adjacent to the Sistine Chapel known as the "Room of Tears," so christened due to the profound emotion associated with the immense duty awaiting him; here, he changes into the white papal garments.

In contrast to Francis, who largely rejected many aspects of papal ceremonial dress, Leo opted for a conventional red papal robe worn above his white cassock.

As a cardinal, Leo was chosen twice as the prior general, essentially the highest leader, of the Augustinians—the 13th-century religious community established by Saint Augustine. For many years, Francis had his sights set on Leo, eventually relocating him from the role of leading the Augustinians back to Peru in 2014 to take up duties as both the administrator and subsequently as the Archbishop of Chiclayo.

He stayed in his role until 2023 when Francis called upon him to move to Rome and take up the position as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. This new appointment meant he would frequently interact with the Catholic leadership across the region that boasts the highest number of Catholics globally.

Ever since arriving in Rome, the Chicago-born cleric has kept a low public profile, but he was well known to the men who count.

Notably, he oversaw one of Pope Francis' most groundbreaking reforms by including three women in the group that votes on which bishops to recommend to the pope. Early in 2025, Pope Francis demonstrated his high regard for this individual once more by elevating them to the highest rank of cardinal.

The Cathedral bells in Peru’s capital city, Lima, rang out following the announcement of the election. Individuals gathered outside the church briefly voiced their wish for a papal visit at some stage.

“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral when the news was announced. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”

Father Fidel Purisaca Vigil, who served as the communication director for the Pope’s former diocese in Chiclayo, recalls that the cardinal would start each day by getting up early, reciting his prayers, and then sharing breakfast with the other priests.

“Regardless of how many issues he faces, he keeps his spirits high and remains joyful,” Reverend Purisaca stated to the Associated Press.

Although his public remarks have been sparse, the newly appointed Pope stated at a 2023 Vatican press conference, "It is our mission to broaden the scope of inclusion and make sure that everybody feels invited into the Church."

Reuters and Associated Press provided contributions to this report.

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