U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost Named New Pope Leo XIV

After two days of voting, white smoke streamed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City on Thursday (May 8) morning, when the conclave announced it had selected a new pope after four rounds of voting. The process began on Wednesday, May 7, after the days of mourning ended.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the 267th pope. He is from the United States, born in Chicago, Illinois, which is a first for the Vatican. He was a mathematics major at Villanova University and did missionary work in Peru. Leo XIV is the name he has chosen.

According to NPR, “A roar erupted from the crowd when they saw the white smoke billow from the chimney, which is shown on several large screens in St. Peter’s Square.” The bells in St. Peter’s Cathedral began to ring at the same time.

There are only two other instances in recent history where a pontiff was elected after only two days of voting. The first was for Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and the second was for Pope Francis in 2013.

Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, from a stroke, which led to a coma and irreversible cardiac arrest. His death came just hours after he greeted the Easter Sunday crowd in Vatican City. The Catholic Church went into seven days of mourning, leading up to his funeral, on April 26. Then, the 133 Roman Catholic cardinals inside the chapel met to vote on a new pope. The new pope will then appear on the balcony and address the crowd.

He was the head of the Catholic Church from March 13, 2014, until his death in April 2025. Pope Francis took over for Pope Benedict XVI when he resigned in 2013.

While the public waits to find out who the new pontiff is, he gets to choose his name at that time. The cardinal electors then pledge obedience to the new head of the church and then he gets fitted with his papal attire.