Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.
White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that a pontiff had been elected to lead the Catholic Church.
What to know
- Who is Robert Prevost? The former pope, Francis, brought Prevost, 69, to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost has a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.
- How was the new pope chosen? 135 eligible cardinals participated in a secretive voting process known as “the conclave.” The cardinals had no contact with the outside world, and their votes will not be revealed.
- Which cardinals were the leading contenders? There are never official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals were considered “papabile,” or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope. Some names include Pietro Parolin, who oversaw the conclave, Luis Tagle, dubbed the “Asian Francis,” Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, a conservative cardinal native to the Congo, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, potentially the first Italian pope in decades.