In a historic development within the Roman Catholic Church, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new Pope.
Taking the papal name Leo XIV, he now becomes the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church, which boasts over 1.4 billion adherents across the globe.
The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica following the traditional white smoke signal from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signifying the successful conclusion of the papal conclave.
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The College of Cardinals, after a series of closed-door voting sessions, chose Cardinal Prevost as the successor to the papacy, marking a significant moment for the Church with the election of another non-European pope.
Pope Leo XIV is the first American to assume the papacy since the Church’s founding and brings with him decades of pastoral and administrative experience.
Before his election, he served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in the Roman Curia, where he played a pivotal role in overseeing the appointment of bishops globally.
Known for his pastoral sensitivity, theological insight, and commitment to ecclesiastical reform, Pope Leo XIV is expected to lead the Catholic Church into a new era of engagement with modern challenges, including global inequality, interfaith dialogue, and internal church reform.
The faithful around the world have begun offering prayers and expressions of hope as the new pontiff begins his spiritual leadership from the heart of the Vatican.