Who is new Pope Leone XIV? First American to lead Catholic Church after being elected by conclave
by Liam Buckler, Andy Lines in Vatican City, Sophie Bateman · ChronicleLiveFollowing a 24-hour conclave, the Catholic community welcomes its new head.
Robert Prevost has been chosen as the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88. He will be known as Leone XIV.
His papal name was unveiled with the proclamation 'Habemus Papum', translating from Latin as 'we have a pope'.
He made his first appearance on the balcony of St Peter's on Thursday evening, greeting the throngs gathered in the square - and the world - as the 267th pope. He acknowledged the cheers and chants of his name from the thousands assembled below.
Prior to this, he would have spent time in the Room of Tears adjacent to the Sistine Chapel, formally accepting his election, having his papal name officially recorded and donning the papal cassock for the first time, reports the Mirror.
The Vatican was awash with scenes of joy today, with nuns, priests and laypeople alike moved to tears at the sight of white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signalling the selection of the new pontiff.
Cardinals had reconvened in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday to continue voting for a new pope, after an initial conclave ballot did not yield a victor, resulting in black smoke emanating from the chapel chimney. They needed to secure a two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, to elect the 267th pope.
The process of casting and tallying votes for a new pope took longer than anticipated on Wednesday evening due to the large number of cardinals involved and the linguistic diversity among them.
The conclave of voting cardinals initiated their confidential meeting in Casa Santa Marta just before 5pm UK time on Wednesday. Pope Francis was chosen in a similar timeframe back in 2013, following five rounds of voting on the second day of the conclave.
Pope Francis had appointed approximately 108 of the 133 cardinals who will select his successor. Known as the people's pope, he was a beloved figure whose passing on Easter Monday prompted global tributes from world leaders and his funeral attracted hundreds of thousands of mourners.
Who is Pope Leone XIV?
Born in Chicago, Prevost, aged 69, serves as the prefect of the Vatican's influential dicastery for bishops, responsible for overseeing nominations for bishops worldwide. He boasts extensive experience in Peru, initially as a missionary and later as an archbishop.
Francis had been keeping tabs on him for years, assigning him to manage the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014. He maintained this role until 2023, when Francis summoned him to Rome for his current position.
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