Pope Leo XIV designation goes against all the odds | Photo: National Catholic Register
Habemus papam! It’s Robert Francis Prevost! For the first time, we have an American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history. His pontifical name is Pope Leo XIV. As a missionary, Prevost, 69, spent his career ministering in Peru and led the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops.
His profile: Against all odds—and against a Vatican tradition that’s long side-eyed the idea of an American pope—we’ve got one now, and he’s no outsider to the upper echelons of power. Cardinal Robert Prevost, Chicago-born and Vatican-bred, may be the most globally savvy pontiff in years.
Francis made him a cardinal in 2023 and didn’t stop there—he also gave him a seat at the Dicastery for Bishops, the elite Vatican body that handpicks bishops worldwide. That’s not a post you get by accident. It’s one of those behind-the-curtain roles that tells you who really has the pope’s ear. But Prevost isn’t all red robes and Roman corridors. He’s spent years in the trenches—missionary work in Peru, to be exact—where he didn’t just preach sermons but ran the bishopric in Chiclayo, a tough northern city with plenty of spiritual and social battles to fight. That real-world experience, far from the echo chambers of the Vatican, could be what ultimately softened the hardliners who usually flinch at the thought of a U.S. pontiff.
Yes, he comes from a country often seen as too powerful, too secular, and too loud for the Vatican’s taste. But Prevost? He’s been quietly building bridges, and now he’s got the keys to the most powerful pulpit on earth.
Bells rang in St Peter’s Square and thousands of pilgrims, tourists and curious Romans were observing the iconic white smoke fumed into the sky above the Vatican, indicating that the 133 sequestered cardinals had voted a two-thirds (88 votes) majority for a new pontiff to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. The new pope’s name had not yet been officially revealed, but the world was standing by awaiting his reveal.
French cardinal protodeacon Dominique Mamberti is expected to announce the new pope to the world, with the historic phrase: “Habemus Papam!”. That is, unless he is the one who was elected!
‘Viva il papa!’ crowds can be heard shouting
Well-wishers in St. Peter’s Square had eagerly awaited the new pope to emerge onto the balcony above to greet pilgrims. Tens of thousands were waving flags, their hands and cheering in anticipation of learning who the new Catholic leader would be.
Traditionally, it happens about 30 to 60 minutes after the signal. His papal name was then announced, and the crowds cheered, and his name, Pope Robert, was heard worldwide within seconds of his reveal. He was then expected on the balcony to speak briefly and pray. His formal coronation will take place days after his election. The last two popes have been inaugurated in St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis died after a stroke on Easter Monday, aged 88, leaving behind a church rife with divisions. The next pope’s first challenge will be to unite the church, a priority all cardinals agree is imperative to address immediately.
Which cardinals were the leading contenders?
There are never official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals who were considered “papabile,” or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope. Some names include Pietro Parolin, who oversaw the conclave, Luis Tagle, dubbed the “Asian Francis,” Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, a conservative cardinal native to the Congo, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, potentially the first Italian pope in decades.
Celebrations begin ahead of the momentous new pope’s name reveal
