Cardinal Robert Prevost has been announced as the new pope in historic moment
Following the conclusion of the conclave today, Cardinal Robert Prevost has been confirmed as the new pope.
It took less than two days of voting to today (8 May) confirm Prevost - whose papal name will be Pope Leo XIV - as the new head of the Catholic church, in what marks a historic moment as the 69-year-old becomes the first ever American to assume the position.
He takes over after the death of Pope Francis, who had served as the pope between 2013 and 2025, before losing his life last month following a long period spent in hospital.
The 88-year-old died on Easter Monday, and following a funeral which saw political and religious leaders from across the world attend, the cardinals in Vatican City gathered to submit their votes.
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When white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel's chimney, it became clear that they had come to a quick decision, and around an hour after, Pope Leo emerged on the balcony of the chapel to greet the thousands of adoring supporters in attendance.
Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti confirmed the election by announcing 'Habemus Papam' - which translates to 'We have a Pope' before introducing Pope Francis' successor by his papal name.
While Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago, is seen as something of a centrist, he has long embraced marginalised groups, much like his predecessor Pope Francis.
Following Francis' death, the Vatican made an official statement, saying: "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised."
"With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune."
The voting result may well come as a surprise to Robert Barron, the man who was appointed by Donald Trump as the new White House Commission on Religious Liberty.
He has shared his doubts about the potential of an American pope, saying: "Cardinal George of Chicago, of happy memory, was one of my great mentors, and he said: 'Look, until America goes into political decline, there won't be an American pope'.
"And his point was, if America is kind of running the world politically, culturally, economically, they don't want America running the world religiously.
"So, I think there's some truth to that, that we're such a superpower and so dominant, they don't wanna give us, also, control over the church."
Topics: Pope Leo
James Moorhouse