American cardinal Robert Prevost elected as pope Leo XIV

After 12 PM (Eastern Time), white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, and joyful cheers immediately erupted in St. Peter's Square. The cardinals elected the new pope in the fourth ballot on the second day of the conclave.

The successor to Francis and the 267th pope is 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Prevost from the United States. He has taken the name Leo XIV. For the first time in history, it is an American who has become pope.

According to CNN, Cardinal Prevost worked for years as a missionary in South America and most recently led the Vatican office for episcopal nominations. He is expected to continue the reforms of Pope Francis.

For ten years, Prevost worked in Trujillo, Peru, and later was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. Prevost also holds a Peruvian passport; he has been a citizen of Peru since 2015. "I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is," Cardinal Prevost told Vatican News.

The conclave began on May 7. This time, a record number of 133 electors participated in electing the new pope, At least two-thirds of the votes were needed to elect the pope.

After the doors to the Sistine Chapel were closed, the cardinals were cut off from the world. In the "Room of Tears," which is the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel, a robe awaited the new pope. According to tradition, it was made in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Today, we know who will wear this robe.

The "Room of Tears" is an extremely important place for the new pope. It is there, immediately after being elected, that he enters to change clothes and immerse himself in prayer for a few minutes.

The Pope becomes aware of what he has become, of what he is from now on. The changing of his clothes speaks of the profound change in his existence. In that place he learns that the office is greater than the person. Perhaps that is where the definition of the room of tears also comes from, because it is the moment in which he becomes aware that the figure of the Pope is much greater than the person who wears it and that, under it, the Pope will learn to die every day, because the office must emerge, the Vicar of Christ, the successor of Peter, must emerge - explains Monsignor Marco Agostini, papal master of ceremonies.

Let us recall: the first ballot took place on Wednesday (May 7) evening but did not bring a decision. After the second and third ballots, we also saw black smoke from the chimney on the chapel’s roof.

In recent decades, conclaves have lasted 2-3 days. Karol Wojtyła was elected during the eighth ballot, Benedict XVI during the fourth, and Francis during the fifth. It was similar this time.

Popes in the past most frequently chose the names: Pius, Gregory, John, Benedict, Innocent, Leo, and Clement.