Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new Pope. After being elected, Prevost chose the name Pope Leo XIV. He appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and thanked fellow cardinals for voting him as the new Pope.
Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the new pope. He has been announced as the 267th Pope and the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church. After being elected as the new Pope, Prevost chose the name Pope Leo XIV. Later, he also appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and said, ‘Peace be with all of you!’
Furthermore, Leo XIV mentioned that his message of peace should ‘enter your hearts, reach your families and all people, wherever they are.’ He also thanked his fellow cardinals for electing him. Later, he spoke in Italian, Spanish and Latin. Notably, French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced the election of the new pope with the traditional Latin phrase “Habemus Papam” (“We have a pope”) to a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
The newly elected pope, 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Prevost, hails from Chicago but has spent the majority of his career as a missionary in Peru. Elevated to the rank of cardinal only in 2023, Pope Leo – as he has chosen to be called – is known for his quiet demeanor, having given few media interviews and rarely making public appearances.
Previously, he served for 12 years and was widely recognised for his efforts to modernise the Church and make it more accessible to the contemporary world.
US President Donald Trump was quick to congratulate the newly elected pope, expressing national pride in his message. “It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great honour for our Country,” Trump wrote on social media.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also shared his enthusiasm, celebrating the pope’s local roots with a playful message: “Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!”
