VATICAN CITY — Jesus Christ has a new vicar, Rome has a new bishop, and the Universal Church has a new supreme pontiff. Cardinal Robert Prevost became the first-ever American pope, and he will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney around 6:06 p.m. local time on Thursday, the signal that the 133 cardinals locked off to the outside world had come to a two-thirds majority agreement on either the fourth or fifth ballot. The cardinals had been in lockdown for one day and 24 minutes.
More than an hour later, the protodeacon of the College of Cardinals appeared before the masses gathered in St. Peter’s Square to make an announcement: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam!” — in English, “I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope!”
An emotional Prevost, 69, emerged to greet the cheering crowd shortly after 7:24 p.m. Prevost, who was born in Chicago and is a graduate of Villanova University, is an Augustinian who spent years as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. His first words as pope were, “Peace be with you,” before offering a message of peace and dialogue “without fear.” He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy, something Pope Francis had declined to wear in 2013.
It had been rumored that he emerged as an alternative pick from a voting bloc that had hoped to install Cardinal Luis Tagle from the Philippines. Tagle and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state under Francis, had been seen as early favorites for the position. But the election of a pope born in the United States had long been thought taboo, if not impossible, given the country’s enormous geopolitical power.
President Donald Trump quickly posted his congratulations on Truth Social.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
It ushers in a new era of the Catholic Church after the nearly 12-year reign of Francis.
If one wishes to consider what societal and cultural changes the new pope will need to confront, they need only look at the tens of thousands of people from all over the world gathered in St. Peter’s Square during the conclave.
During the 2005 papal election, MySpace was the pinnacle of social media communications, vastly overshadowed by legacy media and traditional reporting on the event. By 2013, Facebook was peaking in relevance, and suddenly, it was common for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to remark on the conclave from the comfort of their homes.
WHAT COULD COME NEXT FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
This week, drones have been spotted occasionally flying around Vatican City. Tourists pulled out their phones and livestreamed their reactions from the square as the smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the faithful for the first time as the 267th Pope. pic.twitter.com/tsA1a0XSOM
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
THE LEGACY OF POPE FRANCIS, 1936-2025
Well-edited “fancam” montages of users’ favorite cardinals appeared on X, Instagram, and TikTok. Memes were made. Users bonded over their shared boredom, watching the chimney for smoke signals. Much of this online conclave fanaticism was coming from people who do not even believe in the Catholic faith.
AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES ON THE CONCLAVE, A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
In a world suffering from polarization and social isolation, the pomp and ritual of the conclave snatched the attention of communities around the world.
