American Robert Francis Prevost elected Pope, ‘Everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God’

In a historic moment, the College of Cardinals chose Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday. The two-day meeting, which included a record 133 cardinals, ended when white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, showing that a new pope had been chosen.

This election is especially important because Prevost is the first American to become Pope, taking the name Leo XIV. The meeting moved fairly quickly, even though there were more cardinals than in past years, and some of them did not know each other well. Many of these cardinals had been appointed by the late Pope Francis, and their different views on the church’s future could have made the process longer.

They agreed on a new pope in just over 24 hours, according to the NY Times, which surprised some people who expected the decision to take more time. The name Leo XIV is meaningful because popes traditionally pick names that have personal or historical importance, often honoring saints or earlier popes they admire.

The new Pope is from the USA

The choice of a name can give hints about the new Pope’s priorities and the direction of his leadership. For example, Pope Francis chose his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, and John Paul II named himself after his predecessor. While it is still unclear what Leo XIV’s name will represent, choosing a name from papal history suggests he may focus on certain religious or political ideas, though this remains to be seen.

Before the new Pope appeared in public, there was a lot of activity inside the Apostolic Palace. Cardinal Dominique Mamberti of France, the senior cardinal deacon, had the job of announcing “Habemus papam” (“We have a pope”) and then introducing the new Pope’s name in Latin from the balcony.

The crowd in St. Peter’s Square cheered loudly, celebrating the news. People from all over the world showed the global reach of the Catholic Church, waving flags and sharing in the excitement. The scene felt like a huge concert, with so much energy and anticipation for the new Pope. The ringing of St. Peter’s bells and chants of “Long live the pope!” added to the joyful mood, touching even those in the crowd who were not Catholic but were caught up in the emotion and historical importance of the moment.

After the announcement, Pope Leo XIV’s first words from the balcony will be analyzed closely. These early speeches often set the tone for a pope’s time in office, showing his priorities and leadership style. The language he uses, the topics he mentions, and how he speaks will all be studied for clues about his plans.