Robert Francis made history on Thursday as he was elected the first American pope, choosing the name Leo XIV.
The announcement came after white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the papal conclave, signaling the cardinals had reached a decision.
Church bells rang across Rome as thousands of faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square erupted in joy.
“Peace be with you,” he told the crowds from the basilica balcony, smiling and waving with both hands.
The square filled quickly as people rushed to witness the momentous occasion. Red curtains draped the balcony from which the new pope addressed the crowd. His introduction, delivered in Latin, officially declared him the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
“Habemus papam, woooo!” shouted Bruna Hodara, a Brazilian visitor, capturing the historic moment on her phone as chants of “Viva Il Papa!” — “Long live the pope!” — echoed around her.
Reactions from the crowd ranged from awe to jubilation. A priest hoisted a crucifix into the air, another waved a Brazilian flag, and many attendees wept or cheered.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Joseph Brian, a 39-year-old chef from Belfast. “I’m not overly religious, but being here just blew me away.”
The conclave consisted of 133 cardinal electors from five continents — the most international ever assembled.
Bound by secrecy under threat of excommunication, their only outward signal was the color of smoke from the chapel’s chimney.
After black smoke disappointed crowds on Wednesday and Thursday morning, white smoke at 6:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) confirmed the election.
As tradition dictates, the pope entered the “Room of Tears” to compose himself and change into his papal garments before returning to the chapel for the cardinals’ oath of obedience.
He then delivered his first “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) blessing from the balcony.
Prevost succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away last month at age 88 after a 12-year papacy marked by reform and compassion, yet marred by internal Church tensions. The new pope inherits a Church struggling with scandals, global conflicts, and declining attendance in the West.
While many of the voting cardinals were appointed by Francis, observers noted that continuity was not guaranteed. Before the conclave, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re urged his peers to elect someone capable of defending Church unity and navigating turbulent times.
Now facing enormous spiritual and political challenges, Pope Leo XIV is expected to be inaugurated with a papal mass in the coming days, attended by global religious and political leaders.