Robert Prevost, First American Pope, Selected as Conclave Ends

Robert Francis Prevost has been selected as the next pope after white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday. Taking the name Pope Leo, he is now the first American pope in history.

The new pontiff appeared at the central window of St. Peter’s Basilica following a one-day conclave at the Vatican, marking him as the successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88.

“Peace be with you,” the new pope told onlookers at St. Peter’s Square.

Prior to becoming a Cardinal, Pope Leo XIV spent his years as a missionary ministering in Peru. He was born on Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago and attended Villanova University.

On Wednesday, 133 cardinals went into the conclave to select the 267th pope in the Catholic Church’s over 2,000-year history. Prevost received at least 89 votes.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who presided over the Conclave; and Luis Antonio Tagle, a Filipino prelate, were publicly believed to have had good shots of becoming the next pope prior to Leo’s ascension.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first pope to come from the Americas as well as the Southern hemisphere.

You can watch a livestream from the Associated Press in the embedded video above. Alternatively, CBS News, Fox News, NBC News and ABC News are also hosting live coverage with commentary. NewsNation is also covering the conclave, and has correspondent Robert Sherman reporting live from Vatican City.

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