The Vatican announced the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church, shortly after white smoke began pouring from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday.
Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost's election as pope to the thousands of faithful who descended on St. Peter's Square after the 133 voting cardinals deliberated in the Sistine Chapel for roughly 24 hours.
Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Pope Francis had chosen not to wear after his election in 2013.
His first words as pope were "Peace be with you," which he said in Italian, and delivered a message to the faithful building bridges, peace and dialogue "without fear." Prevost then switched to Spanish to recall his years as a missionary and later archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He did not deliver any words in English.
