Sat May 10 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## American Cardinal Elected Pope Leo XIV

**Vatican City** – White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel this evening, signaling the election of a new Pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been chosen as the new head of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.

The announcement was made by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to a crowd of approximately 15,000 jubilant onlookers. Bells pealed from St. Peter’s Basilica as the news spread. The election concludes a Conclave that began Wednesday afternoon.

The 133 cardinals, the largest Conclave in history, reached a decision relatively quickly, with the final vote coming after several ballots. Previous ballots resulted in black smoke, indicating no consensus had been reached. This Conclave marks the shortest since the 1960s, lasting less than three days. The cardinals were completely isolated from the outside world throughout the process.

Pope Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88. His election follows a two-and-a-half-week *sede vacante* period. The new Pope’s future direction remains to be seen; while Pope Francis pursued a path of cautious reform, some conservative cardinals had advocated for a return to more traditional doctrines. The world watches with anticipation to see how Pope Leo XIV will lead the largest Christian denomination. Live coverage of the celebrations is available on Joyn.

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