Catholic cardinals gathered at the Vatican this week to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
The temporary chimney atop the Sistine Chapel released a plume of white smoke on Thursday evening local time, signaling that the 133 cardinals working inside had reached a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church.
American Cardinal Robert Prevost was shortly thereafter announced as the 267th pontiff. He chose the name Leo XIV, a senior cardinal deacon announced.
The 69-year-old Chicago native is the first American pope and is seen as a diplomat in the church.
„This is the first greeting of the risen Christ. May the peace be with you“, Leo said in Italian in his first remarks as pope. „This is the peace of the risen Christ.“
Pope Leo already has events on his calendar for his first week as the head of the Catholic Church.
On Saturday, he will meet with the cardinals, and on Sunday will be a noon-time prayer from the Central Loggia of the Basilica.
On Monday, Leo will meet with the world press and on Friday is a meeting with the ambassadors of the Embassies to the Holy See.
Cardinal Maung Bo, the archbishop of Yangon, in Myanmar, he hopes Pope Leo XIV will be able to „build a bridge“ with President Donald Trump.
Bo said he is „very excited“ for the first American pope and that Leo will be a „good shift“ for the Catholic Church.
