Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the United States was elected the new Pope after the second round of voting by 133 cardinals on May 8, 2025 at the Vatican. He received enough votes to lead the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
The crowd erupted in applause as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new Pope had been chosen. This happened just after 6 p.m. Vatican time.
Cardinal Prevost is the 267th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church. He succeeds Pope Francis, who resigned after several years in office.
The historic election of the new Pope was watched by millions of Catholics around the world. It was also the first time that an American Cardinal had been elected Pope.
Although the article states that Pope Leo was the first American Pope, this is misinformation. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was the first American Pope.
