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6d ago

Robert Francis Prevost Elected as Pope Leone XIV, First American Pontiff

Cardinal Prevost, 69, was elected on the fourth ballot and delivered his first address as over 150,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

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Overview

  • White smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 18:08 on May 8, 2025, signaled the election of the new Pope.
  • American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago and formerly Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was elected as Pope Leone XIV.
  • Prevost accepted his role, changed into papal vestments in the Stanza delle Lacrime, and processed alone to the Loggia delle Benedizioni for his first public appearance.
  • Addressing the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leone XIV greeted with the words, 'La pace sia con tutti voi,' and imparted the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
  • The election marks a significant milestone as Prevost is the first American to lead the Catholic Church, celebrated by a massive gathering under heightened security in Vatican City.