The Catholic Church has elected a new pope. He is Cardinal Robert Prevost who took the title, Leo the XIV, the first American to be elected.
He appeared on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, few minutes after the traditional white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday.
The new pontiff is currently delivering his first speech to the faithfuls massed at the Basilica grounds and billions of others watching proceeding on screens across the world.
THISAGE reports that 133 cardinals, gathered under the frescoed ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, reached a decision in the third round of voting after two inconclusive ballots on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
The papal conclave officially began on Wednesday with a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. Addressing the cardinals and thousands of faithful in attendance, Battista called for unity, faith, and prayer as the Church sought its next spiritual leader.
The initial rounds of voting failed to produce a successor to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 following a stroke. Black smoke from the Chapel’s chimney had earlier indicated no consensus had been reached.
