In a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a prominent American cleric, has been elected as Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. This marks the first time in the Church’s over 2,000-year history that a pope has been chosen from the United States.
The announcement was made following several rounds of voting in the Sistine Chapel, where 133 cardinal-electors from around the world gathered in a papal conclave. White smoke billowed from the chimney above the chapel, signaling to the world that a new pope had been chosen. Moments later, the newly elected pontiff stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver his first public address and blessing, known as Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world).
