White smoke appeared from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling those cardinals had elected a successor to Pope Francis.
That man was revealed to be Robert Prevost, the first American pontiff in history. He will take on the name Pope Leo XIV.
More than an hour after the white smoke, the new pope stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and greeted the thousands of people who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
“Peace be with you all,” he said as he started his address.
The new pope is 69 years old and from Chicago. A leader with global experience, he spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments. He is expected to build on Pope Francis’ reforms.
“Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome,” Leo said during his address on Thursday. “The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail.”
The Vatican flag is hung outside Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral on Thursday.
Francis, the only Latin American pontiff in history, died last month at the age of 88. His funeral, held on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, was attended by heads of state, royalty and more than 250,000 mourners.
When the white plume of smoke began rising from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney on Thursday, there was a huge cheer of relief and joy from the thousands of people watching in St. Peter’s Square.
There was a burst of applause, and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began ringing to welcome the news. As news spread, some people began running through the streets of Rome to get to the square.
