The cardinals in the Vatican have elected a new head of the Roman Catholic Church. American named Robert Prevost became the 267th pope and took the name Leo XIV. As reported Vatican News.
His name was announced from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti. The priest uttered the famous Latin formula Habemus papam (“We have a pope”). Leo XIV became the first pope in history from the United States.
The Roman pontiff is both the head of the Holy See and the head of the Vatican City State.
Before that, it became known that white smoke was coming out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. The conclave of cardinals elected the pope on the second day of the conclave session, in the fourth round of voting. On May 7, the conclave opened in the Vatican – 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel to elect the new pope.
Before this, the Vatican held a procedure to annul two symbols of power belonging to Pope Francis.
Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) died on April 21, 2025 after a long illness. The pontiff was 88 years old. In 2013, he replaced Benedict XVI, who abdicated due to health problems.
