The Catholic Church has officially announced the new pope after two days of deliberation by the conclave.
The successor to Pope Francis has been chosen following the highly secretive discussions, which came to a conclusion just two days into the election process.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, aged 69, has been named the new pope and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV marks a historic milestone as the first American pope in history.
Before becoming the pope, Cardinal Prevost served as the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023 and was the general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013.
This appointment follows the death of Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 due to a stroke. He had led the Catholic Church for 12 years.
After a period of nine days of mourning, questions arose as to who would step into the role of leading the Vatican. Eight cardinals were particularly considered as potential candidates.
Today, news broke as the College of Cardinals, a body of the Catholic Church’s most senior figures, gathered in Rome to carry out the responsibility of electing the next pope.
There are over 240 cardinals globally, with the number of papal electors typically capped at 120. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.
This time, there were 138 eligible voters, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The conclave met in complete secrecy beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. They were locked in and pledged to maintain the utmost confidentiality throughout the process. No communication with the outside world was allowed, and the cardinals could only retire to St. Martha’s House for sleep and meals. No mobile phones, letters, or newspapers were permitted.
The clergy conducted up to four votes a day, with a decision only being made when a candidate secured the required two-thirds majority. The ballots were burned ceremonially with chemicals to signal to the outside world via the chimney if a decision had been reached.
Over the past few days, black smoke had been observed rising from the chapel until earlier today when white smoke finally emerged, signaling that a decision had been made. This moment was met with applause from the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, followed by the ringing of bells to announce the news.
Pope Leo XIV is now the 267th pope, assuming the role as the spiritual leader of Catholics worldwide. His election marks the continuation of the papal succession that traces back to St. Peter, the first pope.
The longest papal conclave on record took place in 1268, where it took two years and eight months to select a new pope.
Once the new pope is selected, the candidate is asked if he accepts the election, and he may choose his new name. In this case, Cardinal Prevost has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV.