THE NEW Pope has been revealed as Robert Prevost of the United States, the first American pontiff in history.
Cardinal Prevost chose to be known as Pope Leo XIV. He is the 267th pope. This comes after white smoke billowed above the Sistine Chapel, the signal that cardinals had selected a new pontiff on the second day of the conclave.
Hannah McKay/Reuters
Pope Leo XIV, 69, from Chicago, assumes the Papacy with global experience, haven spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments.
He is expected to build on Pope Francis’ reforms.
He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and was later appointed Bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023.
In an interview with Vatican News shortly after he became the leader of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost said: “I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is.”
Inaugural Address
In his inaugural remarks rendered in Latin at St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday moments after the White Smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Pope Leo XIV outlined his vision for the Catholic Church as one that “builds bridges” and engages in conversation.
“We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue,” Pope Leo said.
The new pope also called on people to “show our charity” to others “and be in dialog with love,” according to an English translation.
Pope Leo XIV also thanked his fellow cardinals for choosing him to lead the Catholic Church.
“I should also like to thank all my cardinal brethren who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk with you as a united church. Always seeking peace and justice. Seeking to work with men and women who are faithful to Jesus Christ without fear to proclaim the gospel to be missionaries,” he said.
The new pontiff, also spoke in Spanish, as he greeted his “beloved diocese” in Peru.
“To my dearest beloved diocese in Peru, where a faithful people accompanied their bishop to share their faith with him, and who have done so much to be a faithful church,” he said.
Leo XIV called on the Catholic church to be a “synodal” church, “one which goes forward and which always seeks peace and to be close to those who suffer.”
Addressing the crowd in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, urging the crowd to remember his predecessor’s legacy.
“Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter.
“Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail,” he said in Italian while addressing the crowd gathered at the Vatican.
