Korede Abdullah in Lagos
In a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church, U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected pope—the first American to hold the position.
Prevost, 69, chose the name Pope Leo XIV. Born in Chicago, he spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, where he also led the Vatican’s influential office of bishops.
His election was confirmed with the traditional billow of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney, followed by the tolling of St. Peter’s Basilica’s bells, drawing cheers from thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Emerging onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the new pope greeted the world with, “Peace be with all of you!” and offered his blessings in Italian, Spanish, and Latin.
He thanked the cardinals for their trust, honored his predecessor Pope Francis, and paid tribute to Peru, where he spent decades in ministry: “Where a loyal people has shared its faith and has given a lot,” he said. His warm words deeply resonated with Peruvians, who consider him one of their own.
“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said Isabel Panez, a schoolteacher in Lima. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”
The crowd in Rome continues to swell, waving flags and celebrating the new pontiff, whose message of peace, unity, and global outreach marks a new chapter for the Catholic Church.
