The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica and white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel rang on Thursday to confirm that a new Pope had been elected by the College of Cardinals following the death of Francis.
The Roman Catholic Cardinals elected US Cardinal Robert Prevost to be the next pope on Thursday, marking an historic moment in the Church’s 1.4 billion-member history.
Prevost is a Chicago-native who has adopted the papal title Leo XIV. It is the first time an American has been elected as pope.
Habemus Papam Habemus Papam! Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Cardinal from the United States of America who was gathered at the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel to elect the new 267th Pope Leo XIV.
On Wednesday, the Vatican’s 133 electors began secretly deliberating behind closed doors.
The thousands of people gathered on St. Peter’s Square cheered and applauded the traditional white smoke sign, which signified the transition from one papacy to another.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, after 12 years of pontificate that saw him modernizing the Church, and bringing up sensitive topics such as the ordination and inclusion of LGBT Catholics.
It was his death that set in motion a conclave where cardinals debated whether they should continue on the reformist course or return to more traditionalist directions.
The Vatican Secretary of State for many years, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle were among the top contenders.
The names of Cardinals Jean-Marc Aveline, Peter Erdo, Robert Prevost, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Pablo Virgilio David, Pablo Virgilio David, were also mentioned as potential successors.
Two-thirds or more of cardinal electors must support the new Pope.
According to conclave traditions, only the smoke signal was used from the Sistine Chapel: white meant a positive election, black indicated a lack of decision.
The post US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the new Pope and taken the name Pope Leo XIV, may be updated as the updates unfold.
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