Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th Pope and will soon step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
How old is Robert Prevost?
The 69-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, is the first American to fill the role of Pope. He will be known as Leo XIV.
Robert Francis 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.
Long live the Pope!
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!’
Even before his name was announced from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, the crowds below were chanting ‘Viva il Papa’ – 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.
Why is Robert Prevost called Pope Leo?
Robert is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru, before becoming a bishop there.
Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a prior in his home city.
He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges.
He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and as a teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
His predecessor, Francis made him Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru a year after becoming Pope.
Pope Leo’s first speech
In his first words as Pope, Leo XIV spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis.
‘We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us,’ he said.
‘United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together,’ he told cheering crowds.
Pope Leo was 30 when he moved to Peru as part of an Augustinian mission.
He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America which has the important task of selecting and supervising bishops.
He became archbishop at the same time in January 2023 and within a few months Francis made him a cardinal.
