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The first U.S. pope didn’t use English in his first speech
His choice of languages reflects his “pastoral care,” said Prof. Bruce Morrill of Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
“First and foremost his office is bishop of Rome,” Morrill said after the American pope initially spoke Italian, then switched to the Spanish he used in decades spent ministering in Peru.
“The conventional wisdom was that there would not be an American pope because of geopolitical implications,” said Morrill, a Jesuit priest.
Morrill also noted that Leo XIII issued the first modern encyclical on modern social justice, about workers’ protections. So choosing the name Leo XIV suggests the new pontiff’s priorities: “This is a man also very concerned about the church serving the greater social needs of the world,” Morrill said.
Spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians welcomes the new Roman Catholic Church leader
“I greet the new Pope, the new Bishop of Rome, with great brotherly love in Christ and great expectations,” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told the Associated Press Thursday at an event in Athens. He said he’ll be in Rome for the pope’s enthronement.
Reflecting on his longstanding cooperation with Pope Francis, Bartholomew expressed hope for continued progress in Catholic-Orthodox relations. He and Francis collaborated on global challenges including climate change, migration and the impact of technological change. They also hoped to end a centuries-old dispute by finding a common date to celebrate Easter.
“I hope that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator ... for unity of the whole Christian family and for the benefit of the whole of humankind,” he said.
Spanish prime minister congratulates ‘the entire Catholic church’
Pedro Sánchez cheered the election of Pope Leo XIV, saying in a post on X: “May your pontificate contribute to strengthening dialogue and the defense of human rights in a world in need of hope and unity.”
Pope Leo XIV’s first appointments have been set
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says:
The Bushes are delighted over an American pope
Former U.S. President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, are “delighted” to congratulate former Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election to become pope.
“This an historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world,” Bush said in a statement. “We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic church, serve the neediest, and share God’s love.”
Pope Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost
In many ways, Francis saw Prevost as his heir apparent. But there had long been a taboo against electing a pontiff from a country whose geopolitical power loomed so large in the secular sphere. Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because he’s also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.
His selection is also enormously significant because of its potential impact on the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been badly divided between conservatives and progressives. With Prevost’s help at the help of the bishop vetting office, Francis embarked on a 12-year project to rein in the traditionalists in the United States, which is terrifically important to the global church financially.
What significance might the name Leo have for a pope?
Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru before taking over the Vatican's powerful office of bishops, chose Leo XIV for his papal name.
Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903, softened Catholicism’s confrontational stance toward modernity — especially science and politics — and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers’ rights and capitalism.
The name “is a deep sign of commitment to social issues. I think it is going to be exciting to see a different kind of American Catholicism in Rome,’’ said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University in the Bronx.
Trump says ‘it’s such an honor for our country’
Trump spoke to reporters outside the West Wing, saying that for the new pope to be American, “What greater honor can there be?”
“We’re a little bit surprised and we’re happy,” Trump added.
US Secretary of State sends his greetings
Marco Rubio, a Catholic, issued a statement expressing his “heartfelt congratulations” to the new pope during “a moment of profound significance” for the church.
“The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility,” Rubio’s message said. “May the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.”
A new pope sends greetings to his faithful in Peru
Speaking from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as pope, Leo XIV addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits sits just 9 miles (14 km) away from Peru’s northern Pacific coast and is among the country’s most populous cities.
“Greetings... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith,” he said.
What is a core value for Augustinian priests?
A religious order is a community of Catholics — which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people — dedicated to a particular type of mission and spirituality. A core value for the Order of St. Augustine that the new pope belongs to is to “live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.”
Pope Francis was the first pope from the Jesuit religious order ever, and the first in more than a century and a half to come from any religious order. The previous one was Gregory XVI (1831-1846), a Camaldolese monk. In all, 34 of the 266 popes have belonged to religious orders — and six of them before Leo XIV were Augustinians, according to America, a Jesuit magazine.
The idea of a US pontiff was taboo. Prevost overcame it
Pope Francis brought Prevost, a Chicago native, to the Vatican in 2023 to lead the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.
He kept a low public profile in Rome, but was well known to the men who count. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.
Back in Prevost’s old diocese in Chiclayo, Peru, the Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil said Prevost would have breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers each day. “No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy,” Purisaca said in an email.
▶ Read more about Robert Prevost's background
The pope’s first words
“Peace be with you all. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts to reach your families to all people everywhere to all the earth: peace be with you.”
Cathedral bells ring out in Lima, Peru
Prevost’s election as pope is swelling the pride of Peruvians.
“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral in Peru’s capital when the news was announced. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”
Trump congratulates new pope
The U.S. president posted his reaction on his Truth Social social media platform.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
New pope led order dedicated to the poor and service
The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in the 13th century as a community of “mendicant” friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.
The order’s requirements and ethos are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.
The order works in about 50 countries, according to its website, promoting a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.
Pope Leo XIV’s first message: Peace and dialogue ‘without fear’
In his first words, Pope Leo XIV, history's first American pope Robert Prevost, said “Peace be with you.”
From the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, he recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, “so we can all walk together.”
He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
The voting cardinals look over the crowd
The voting cardinals now fill the four balconies that flank the flag-draped balcony where Pope Leo XIV will speak. Many — including several who had been identified as possible contenders — seem joyful as they look over the crowd below.
Robert Prevost is elected the first American pope in history
Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.
A new pope’s last moments before emerging to a global role
The new pope, whoever he is, should now be donning his papal vestments in the so-called “Room of Tears.” It is thus named due to the emotional weight of the moment and the responsibility ahead.
People in the crowd continue to scream “Viva il papa!” as they remain suspended in time in huge anticipation.
One cardinal’s hometown ‘mystery’
Three friends in Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s hometown of Schiavon clinked their glasses in an Italian salute when the white smoke went up in St. Peter’s Square. “We hope it’s him,” said Mariano Vialetto, over an aperitivo in Caffè Centrale. “We have our fingers crossed.”
Morgan Zaetta was more sure: “It’s him, it’s him.”
Then the bells rang in the church, St. Margherita — only the sacristan says it wasn’t he who rang them and doesn’t know who did.
“It wasn’t me,” said Angelo Cisotto, adding no one was in the bell tower and they could not be rung by remote.
“It’s a mystery,” he said. Asked if it could be a sign: “We hope, we hope.’’
Trump saw the smoke
President Donald Trump was asked about the white smoke signaling that a new pope had been chosen. He offered little immediate reaction.
“I saw the smoke but I haven’t seen the pope,” Trump told reporters on his way out of a White House event with military mothers.
A last quiet moment before the excitement
A few minutes before the white smoke, a small seagull chick appeared near the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Alongside the chick were two larger seagulls, almost as if they were a family. Just as the mother was feeding the chick, the chimney began to smoke.
Older cardinals who didn’t participate in the conclave rush out to the square
These cardinals lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.
Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean O’Malley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didn’t vote.
Swiss Guards have taken position in front of front of St. Peter’s Basilica
A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.
The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.
And now more marching bands are celebrating the election of a new pope in a parade that includes large groups in military dress uniforms.
“Vivi il Papa!” erupts from the crowd whenever the music pauses.
All eyes are now on the red-draped central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica
That’s where a cardinal will soon emerge to “to proclaim a new pope to Rome and to the world.”
There is incredible excitement — the crowd is roaring, and some are shouting “hallelujah!”
Church bells ring in Spain
Moments after white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel, the bells began tolling in Barcelona’s towering Sagrada Familia basilica and the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, across from the royal palace.
The great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica are tolling
And down below, amid the cheers in the vast mix of humanity in St. Peter’s square, priests are making the sign of the cross and nuns are weeping at the white smoke wafting into the sky.
The crowd erupted with joy in St. Peter’s Square
Some are obviously deeply moved, others excited. They’re clapping and waving national flags and taking photos with their phones.
“Viva il papa!” some shouted.
White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney
It signals that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.
That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.
The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers.
The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus papam!” Latin for “We have a pope!” from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.
The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.
The smoke emerged from the chimney at 6:07 p.m.
Pope Francis appointed 108 of the cardinals voting for his successor
He elevated these men and others who are not eligible to vote in groups throughout his papacy, beginning in January 2014 with 19. They came from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor and that its hierarchy should reflect the face of the faithful.
His last batch was installed in December 2024 with 21 cardinals, 20 of whom are in the conclave.
The excitement in the square is contagious
At one point there was applause from the crowd as thousands train their eyes on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, but it was a false alarm.
"We want a Pope close to the people and close to us, to the youth, who represent the future of the Church, said Kacper Michalak, 20, a seminarian from Poland who came for the 2025 Jubilee. The holy year is an ancient church tradition encouraging spiritual renewal which encourages pilgrimages to Rome.
How long does it take to choose a pope?
It's hard to say precisely. The Vatican doesn't officially publish the number of votes in past conclaves, and sources compiling their own tallies don't completely agree. But historical data provide a few clues.
The longest conclave since the 20th century began took 14 rounds of balloting across five days, ending with the election of Pius XI in 1922. The shortest, electing Pius XII in 1939, took three ballots over two days.
Cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a pope. That may have been easier in the past: In 1922 there were just 53 voting cardinals, and until 1978 conclaves had fewer than 100. This year there are 133, so 89 votes are needed.
These are the US cardinals voting for the next pope
The United States is home to 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. That’s more than any other nation except Italy, home to 17 of the electors in the conclave choosing a successor to Pope Francis.
Only four of the American electors actively serve as archbishops in the U.S. — Timothy Dolan of New York, Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, and Robert McElroy of Washington. Two others are retired archbishops, and four have spent many years serving at the Vatican.
It’s a mixed group, ideologically. McElroy was one of Francis’ staunchest progressive allies. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a traditionalist, was a frequent critic of Francis.
▶ Read more about the US electors in the conclave
Conservative cardinals are likely seeking a more orthodox successor
Francis had many traditionalist critics who made clear they believed themselves to be more Catholic than the pope.
Francis sought to neutralize the conservative opposition through key appointments and targeted removals, and he also oversaw a crackdown on the old Latin Mass. When he approved blessings for same-sex couples, African bishops united in disapproval. And when he allowed divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, some accused him of heresy.
▶ Read more on Pope Francis' conservative critics
The faithful in the piazza don’t get a vote. But if they did ...
Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, is hoping for a new pope in Francis’ image. “Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didn’t do enough. We’ll see if the next one will be able to do more.”
The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he’d be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.
“He has clear ideas, not much ideology. He’s a direct, intelligent, and respectful man,” Bogataj said from the square. “Most of all, he’s agile.”
A hot mic moment feeds conjecture over papal candidates
As the Sistine Chapel's doors slammed shut to seal the cardinals off from the outside world, leadership of the proceedings was assumed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope.
Parolin is the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate, and seemed to have received blessings from none other than Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who was caught on a hot mic during Wednesday’s pre-conclave Mass telling Parolin “Auguri doppio” or “double best wishes.”
Italians are debating whether this was a customary gesture, an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.
Prominent cardinal hopes for white smoke by the evening
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, expressed hope that a new pope would be elected within hours, according to reports in major Italian newspapers.
“I hope that when I return to Rome this evening, I’ll find the white smoke already rising,” he said, speaking from the city of Pompei on Thursday.
Re is 91 years old, which makes him too old to participate in the conclave of 133 cardinals who are electing the next pope and who all have to be under 80.
However, he has been prominent and delivered a Mass on Wednesday before the cardinals began their conclave. As the Mass ended he was caught on a hot mic saying to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, viewed as a favorite for the papacy: “auguri doppi” (“double best wishes”).
Italians discussed whether this was a customary gesture acknowledging Parolin’s role as the most senior cardinal present in the conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement of Parolin’s candidacy for the papacy.
Black smoke again pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney: No pope elected yet
Black smoke is again pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.
The smoke billowed out at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.
With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the 133 cardinals will return to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered. They will have lunch and then return to the Sistine Chapel for the afternoon voting session.
Two more votes are possible on Thursday.
Day 2 of waiting for a new pope
Many faithful are hoping that the second day of the conclave will give the church and the world a new pope after a first vote produced dark smoke on Wednesday evening, sending a disappointed crowd to disperse in all directions in Rome.
Earlier, some of the people had started thinking that the long wait was the sign cardinals had reached a decision in a first vote, which would be unprecedented in the modern era.
“They probably need more time,” said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who travelled from Pescara in Italy’s Abruzzo region to be present at the historic moment.
Chiara Pironi, a 26-year-old who lives in Rome, said she would keep returning to St. Peter’s Square until a new pope is chosen.
“I don’t want to miss that moment,” she said.
A proverb and a warning
There is an old prover that Italians keep repeating: “He who enters the conclave as pope leaves as a cardinal.”
The saying warns against overconfidence among frontrunners in papal elections — those widely expected to win often do not.
In Rome, the phrase is heard frequently, from casual conversations to live TV broadcasts, where commentators use it to temper speculation.
It’s a reminder of the secrecy and unpredictability of the conclave, where decisions are made behind locked doors, and outcomes can surprise even seasoned Vatican watchers.
Who is voting in the conclave?
Of the 133 cardinals voting in the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.
The electors could feel loyalty to continue his legacy — even though the late pontiff didn’t choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.
Beyond that, the cardinals will consider practical matters, like age. Piking a relatively young man — say in his 60s — could result in a papacy of 20 years or longer.
Also, choosing a pope from where the church is growing — Asia or Africa — could bring more upheaval to the Vatican’s Italian-heavy bureaucracy that is still smarting from the Argentine pope’s go-it-alone style.
Why might papal voting might have taken longer Wednesday evening?
Casting and counting ballots for a new pope might have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating — 133 — and the linguistic diversity among them.
The electors hail from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings if help with translation was needed. While in the past Latin was the universal language of the church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican.
Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household.
Also, the vote might have had to be done twice, if for some reason the first ballot had to be invalidated. That occurred in 2013 when during one voting round, an extra empty ballot appeared.
Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating conclave hasn’t elected pope
The smoke billowed out at 9 p.m. Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.
With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals retired for the night to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered.
▶ Read more about the conclave to pick the next pope
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