US Cardinal Robert Prevost Becomes First American Pope In History

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the United States has been elected as the 267th pope and is expected to appear shortly on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the new spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Prevost, 69, from Chicago, Illinois, is the first-ever pope from the United States. He will be known as Leo XIV.

Prevost received the necessary two-thirds majority vote to be elected pope, which likely occurred on the fourth ballot, following two failed ballets Thursday morning and one failed balloton  Wednesday.

Bells tolled as the white smoke poured out from the Sistine Chapel, where thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square and chanted, “Long live the pope!”

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced Prevost as pope on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday evening, about an hour after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel