Robert Francis Prevost, an American bishop, has been elected Pope, the first American to do so and a historic occasion. He will adopt the pontifical name of Pope Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago, Prevost, 69, belongs to the Augustinian order and has had a long career serving in Peru. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
When he was elected, as indicated by the white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney, Pope Leo XIV spoke to the crowd that had gathered at the Vatican balcony, giving a message of peace with the words, "Peace be with all of you." The election came after a conclave of 133 cardinals, where the new Pope garnered the required two-thirds majority of 89 votes to replace his predecessor.
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