The new Pope is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States, the first American pontiff in history. He took the name Leo XIV and became the 267th Pope.
This was reported by the Vatican press service.
Pope Leo XIV.
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. He is 69 years old.
He spent most of his career as a missionary in South America. He worked in Trujillo, Peru, for ten years before being appointed Bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. In September 2023, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of Cardinal.
Until the death of the previous Pope Francis, Prevost held one of the most influential positions in the Vatican, heading the department that elects and governs bishops around the world.
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peterʼs Basilica in the Vatican.
In an interview with Vatican News shortly after he became head of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost said: "I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like the vocation of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever I am."
Although Prevost is generally considered a centrist, he can be progressive on some key social issues. He has long supported marginalized groups — as has Pope Francis, who has defended migrants and the poor, CBS notes.
“He is a very sensitive person, and he makes sure that everyone can express their opinion,” Francis said of him. At the same time, Prevost opposes the ordination of women as deacons, so he is considered conservative in church doctrine on this issue.
His first words as pontiff were: "Peace be with you all."
"This is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God. And I would also like this greeting of peace to penetrate our hearts and our families," said Leo XIV.
The pope was elected on the fourth attempt. The conclave of cardinals, who elect a new pontiff, began on May 7 at about 17:30 Kyiv time. 133 clergymen took part in the vote — any of them could become Pope if they received the support of more than half of those present. By tradition, from the moment the conclave began, the cardinals were incommunicado behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel — and were to remain there for as long as it took to elect a new pope.
One round of voting took place on the first evening of the conclave, and two more on the morning of May 8. In neither round did anyone get enough votes, so black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel’s special pipe. When the Pope was elected in the fourth round, white smoke billowed from the pipe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already congratulated the new Pope. He stressed that Ukraine appreciates the Holy Seeʼs position on condemning Russiaʼs military aggression against Ukraine and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.
"At this crucial moment for our country, we hope for further moral and spiritual support from the Vatican for Ukraineʼs efforts aimed at restoring justice and achieving lasting peace. I wish His Holiness Leo XIV wisdom, inspiration, and spiritual and physical strength in fulfilling his high mission," the president said.
The US President Donald Trump also congratulated Robert Francis Prevost on his appointment and noted that he looked forward to meeting with him.
- The previous Pope Francis died on April 21, the day after Easter. Francis (in the world Jorge Mario Bergoglio) was 88 years old and had led the Catholic Church since 2013. He died of a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure after a long illness — he was in the hospital from February 14 to March 23. The pontiff had developed bilateral pneumonia. His condition was serious.
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