Cardinal Robert Prevost (69) has been chosen as the first American Pope in history.

He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced to crowds in St. Peter’s Square.

White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel earlier, signifying a replacement to Pope Francis had been chosen.

Voting in the secretive conclave only began yesterday.

Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost? 

Made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, he has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis’ 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice issues.

He served as a Bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023 and said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: “Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.”

Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world’s bishops.

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