A new Pope has been elected in the Vatican: he is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the USA.
In the evening of May 8, the Vatican elected a new Pope. Pope Francis was succeeded by Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the USA, who took the name of Pope Leo XIV. About this informs Vatican News.
As expected, the conclave of cardinals did not last long – white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel appeared already on the second day. However, the voting results were a real surprise — Robert Prevost was not among the favorites in any of the pre-election forecasts.
The new Pope is relatively young by ecclesiastical standards, so he is likely to lead the Catholic Church for a long time. He has enough strength and time to implement his own vision – both in internal church politics and in the Vatican’s diplomatic relations with the world.
The newly elected pontiff went to the balcony of St. Peter’s Cathedral, where he addressed the faithful with his first blessing: “Peace be with you all!”. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists greeted him with applause on the square
“This is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for us. I also hope that this message of peace will settle in our hearts and families.” – he explained his choice of words.
The newly elected Pope was born in 1955 in Chicago, USA, he is 69 years old. He received a theological education in his native city, and also received a licentiate in canon law in Rome. According to CNN, Leo XIV devoted a significant part of his service to missionary activities in South America: he worked in Peru for ten years, and from 2014 to 2023 he served as bishop in the city of Chiclayo (Peru).
In September 2023, Pope Francis granted him the rank of cardinal. The new pontiff is expected to continue the course of reforms started by his predecessor.
