Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV

Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, becoming the first American to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and taking the name Leo XIV. A crowd tens of thousands erupted in prayer and emotion as Leo, successor to the late Francis, appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to deliver the first address of his ministry.Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen him as a successor to Francis, who died last month. "Peace be with you all," he told the cheering crowd, speaking in fluent Italian. He also spoke in Spanish during his brief address but did not say anything in English. Leo's speech was cheered, especially a section where the prelate – who spent many years in Peru – broke into Spanish, and also when he paid warm tribute to his popular predecessor Pope Francis, who died last month.

‘Sin will not prevail,’ Pope Leo proclaims in FIRST speech

Pontiff pays tribute to ‘our beloved, deceased Pope Francis’

Carries on his predecessor’s message of peace, vows to ‘build bridges through dialog’ https://t.co/duMzzDolim pic.twitter.com/gBb1qwhTNl

— RT (@RT_com) May 8, 2025

World leaders raced to welcome his appointment and promise to work with the Church on global issues. As Cardinal Prevost, the new pope had defended the poor and underprivileged, often reposted articles critical of US President Donald Trump's anti-migrant policies, but the White House chief nevertheless welcomed the election.
The appointment was welcomed by the Peruvian president Dina Boluarte. "His closeness to those most in need left an indelible mark on the hearts of Peru," her office said in a post on X. Prevost, 69 and originally from Chicago, has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and has dual Peruvian nationality. He became a cardinal only in 2023.The last pope to take the name Leo led the Church from 1878-1903. Leo XIII was known for his devoted focus to social justice issues, and is often credited with laying the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching. Prevost has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues. Prevost served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.