Papal Conclave Elected American Born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as 267th Pope of Roman Catholic Church 

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Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the papal name Pope Leo XIV, on May 8, 2025.

His election was confirmed on the fourth ballot of the papal conclave, which began on May 7 and concluded on May 8, 2025.

The conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel, involved 133 cardinals, with 89 votes (a two-thirds majority) required to elect a new pope. White smoke emanating from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 6:07 p.m. CEST signaled the successful election.

Pope Leo XIV’s election marks a historic moment as he becomes the first American pontiff. Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, he was naturalized as a Peruvian citizen in 2015.

Before his papacy, he served as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine and held various positions within the Church, including Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Monica. Notably, he was appointed Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and has been serving as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023 .

In his first public address, Pope Leo XIV expressed his commitment to fostering unity within the Church and addressing global challenges. His election is seen as a continuation of Pope Francis’s efforts to diversify the College of Cardinals and expand the Church’s presence in underrepresented regions like Africa and Asia.