American Cardinal Robert Prevost elected Pope Leo XIV

VATICAN CITY — In a historic outcome to the papal conclave, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, becoming the first pontiff from the United States in its 2,000-year history. The Chicago-born cleric, a member of the Augustinian order and a longtime missionary in Peru, will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

Appearing for the first time on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica following the traditional white smoke signaling his election, Leo XIV, 69, greeted the crowd with the words, “Peace be with you,” delivering a message centered on unity, dialogue, and global evangelization. Dressed in the traditional red mozzetta — a symbol of papal authority that his predecessor had opted not to wear — he addressed the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.

The election followed a closely guarded conclave involving 135 cardinal-electors from around the world. The process, held in complete secrecy within the Sistine Chapel, bars all contact with the outside world and leaves no public record of individual votes.

Leo XIV’s rise was widely anticipated after Pope Francis appointed him in 2023 to head the Vatican’s influential Dicastery for Bishops, a role overseeing the selection of bishops worldwide. His leadership in that position gave him unique visibility heading into the conclave.

A member of the Order of St. Augustine, Leo XIV belongs to a religious community whose guiding principle is living in harmony and unity on the path to God. The order has produced six previous popes, and its influence is reflected in the new pontiff’s commitment to spiritual community and service.

With the election of Leo XIV, the Church enters a new chapter led by a pope shaped by both American roots and Latin American ministry — a combination that could influence priorities across the global Catholic landscape.