…As President Trump Reacts
After just 24 hours of voting, the cardinals have revealed Robert Prevost as the new Pope, with white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel, sparking celebrations across St. Peter’s Square.
Robert Prevost has been chosen as the new Pope following two days of voting inside the Sistine Chapel. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV and becomes the 267th pontiff.
Prevost is now the spiritual leader for Catholics worldwide and is considered the successor to St. Peter, the first Pope.
The announcement of his selection came after Cardinal Mamberti declared, “Habemus papam!” which means “We have a pope!” in Latin, from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. Just after 5 p.m. UK time on Thursday, white smoke began rising from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney, signaling the election of a new Pope.
The crowds in St. Peter’s Square erupted with excitement, chanting “Abbiamo Papa, ole, ole, ole” and “Viva il Papa” while waving flags from various countries.
The square was filled with cheers and celebration as people gathered to witness the moment.
Many older cardinals who did not participate in the conclave made their way to the square to join the celebrations. Military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems as Swiss Guards marched through the crowd, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Following the election, a procession of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the Vatican’s official security force, led by a brass band, gathered in front of the balcony where the new Pope would appear.
The election of the new Pope was confirmed after several rounds of voting. Earlier in the day, black smoke had been seen, indicating that no decision had been made, but the later white smoke confirmed the election.
Up to four votes can take place each day during the conclave, and it typically takes a few days to reach a decision.
However, this election was concluded swiftly, within just 24 hours, suggesting that many cardinals had rallied behind a clear front runner.
The conclave began with 133 cardinal-electors from 70 different countries. In total, 252 living cardinals are eligible to vote, with 138 under the age of 80. To become Pope, a candidate needs a two-thirds majority, or 89 votes.
Among the potential candidates, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines was considered a leading contender, with Pietro Parolin, the current Vatican Secretary of State, also being highly regarded.
Though previous conclaves have taken several days, this election was concluded quickly, with cheers from the waiting crowds outside as the new Pope was announced. The faithful, who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square for hours, celebrated the announcement with joy and excitement.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has expressed his enthusiasm following the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the first U.S.-born pope, who has chosen the name Leo XIV.
Trump described the event as a “Great Honour” for the United States after Prevost was selected on Thursday.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” the US president stated in a post on Truth Social.
“It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honour for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago and studied at Villanova University before serving as a missionary in Peru. He was elected as the Bishop of Rome and accepted his role as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics earlier on Thursday. The United States boasts the fourth-largest Catholic population globally, following Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. The late Pope Francis I was notably the first pope born in the Western Hemisphere, hailing from Buenos Aires.
