BURST
He will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
A cardinal appeared at the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony about 7:15 p.m. CEST to announce the newest Pope. It is the first American pope, Robert Francis Prevost, 69, of Chicago.
In his first appearance from the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony, Pope Leo spoke of peace and the need for charity to unify humanity during troubled times. The passion he holds for this message was notable in his voice and face as he spoke. He appears to share the vision of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
The former leader of an Augustinian order, Pope Leo was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023, after being appointed by the previous pontiff to the powerful Dicastery for Bishops. The Dicastery oversees the selection of new bishops from around the world, and his former role is likely to serve him well in leading the worldwide church.
He has significant missionary experience in Peru, serving as bishop of the northern city of Chiclayo.
Trump congratulates: ‘What a great honour for our country’
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to the news in a post on Truth Socia l. He pointed out that Prevost was the first American pope to be elected.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honour to realize that he is the first American Pope,” wrote Trump on Thursday afternoon. “What excitement, and what a Great Honour for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 8, 2025
White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney about an hour prior to the announcement, alerting the crowd of faithful Catholics gathered in St. Peter’s Square that the College of Cardinals have elected a new Pope.
It came on the second day of voting and the fourth vote. The Cardinals reached the two-third majority required to elevate one of their ranks to be head of the church.
The gathered crowd cheered in elation as the smoke rose on a beautiful Thursday evening in Rome. Flags from all over the world were evident among them, including Canada’s.
— With additional reporting by Courtney Greenberg
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.