BREAKING NEWS: Robert Prevost, first American pope in history of the Catholic Church, will take the name Leo XIV

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV, the American Robert Prevost, said “Peace be with you” in his first words as pope, offering a message of peace and dialogue “without fear.”

From the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, history’s first American pope recalled he was an Augustinian priest, but that he was above all a Christian above all and a bishop, “So we can all walk together.”

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. He appeared on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Pope Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013.

Prevost had been a leading candidate except for his nationality. There had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible also because he’s a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Francis clearly had his eye on Prevost and in many ways saw him as his heir apparent. He brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers, priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted “Viva il papa!” after the white smoke wafted into the late afternoon sky at 6:07 p.m. Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won.

Eyes on the chimney

Earlier Thursday, large school groups joined the mix of humanity awaiting the outcome in St. Peter’s Square. They blended in with people participating in preplanned Holy Year pilgrimages and journalists from around the world who have descended on Rome to document the election.

“The wait is marvelous!” said Priscilla Parlante, a Roman.

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, said he and his family visited Rome during the Argentine pope’s pontificate and were hoping for a new pope in Francis’ image.

“Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didn’t do enough. We’ll see if the next one will be able to do more,” Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he’d be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

“He has clear ideas, not much ideology. He’s a direct, intelligent and respectful man,” Bogataj said from the square. “Most of all, he’s agile.”

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave.

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Conjecture on contenders

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

Parolin seemed to have received the blessings from none other than Re, the respected elder among the cardinals. During the traditional exchange of peace during the pre-conclave Mass on Wednesday, Re was caught on a hot mic telling Parolin “auguri doppio” or “double best wishes.” Italians debated whether it was just a customary gesture acknowledging Parolin’s role running conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

The voting process

The voting followed a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words “Eligo in summen pontificem” — “I elect as supreme pontiff.” They approach the altar one by one and say: “I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.”

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different “scrutineers,” cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisers, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write them on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word “Eligo.” All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

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Giada Zampano, Helena Alves and Vanessa Gera contributed to this report.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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VATICAN CITY (AP) — White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signalling that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers. The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus papam!” Latin for “We have a pope!” from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

Here is the latest:

Older cardinals who didn’t participate in the conclave rush out to the square

These cardinals lined up as military bands played the Italian and Holy See national anthems.

Spotted in the crowd were American Cardinals Sean O’Malley and Donald Wuerl, both of whom are over 80 and didn’t vote.

Swiss Guards have taken position in front of front of St. Peter’s Basilica

A marching brass band in blue uniforms led a contingent of Swiss guards through the crowd to a central spot below the balcony, generating another huge roar from the crowd.

The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official security force of the Vatican, and holds a ceremonial and a protective function.

And now more marching bands are celebrating the election of a new pope in a parade that includes large groups in military dress uniforms.

“Vivi il Papa!” erupts from the crowd whenever the music pauses.

All eyes are now on the red-draped central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica

That’s where a cardinal will soon emerge to “to proclaim a new pope to Rome and to the world.”

There is incredible excitement — the crowd is roaring, and some are shouting “hallelujah!”

Church bells ring in Spain

Moments after white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel, the bells began tolling in Barcelona’s towering Sagrada Familia basilica and the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, across from the royal palace.

The great bells of St. Peter’s Basilica are tolling

And down below, amid the cheers in the vast mix of humanity in St. Peter’s square, priests are making the sign of the cross and nuns are weeping at the white smoke wafting into the sky.

The crowd erupted with joy in St. Peter’s Square

Some are obviously deeply moved, others excited. They’re clapping and waving national flags and taking photos with their phones.

“Viva il papa!” some shouted.

White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney

It signals that a pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

That means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers.

The name will be announced later, when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus papam!” Latin for “We have a pope!” from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin, and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is then expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

The smoke emerged from the chimney at 6:07 p.m.

Pope Francis appointed 108 of the cardinals voting for his successor

He elevated these men and others who are not eligible to vote in groups throughout his papacy, beginning in January 2014 with 19. They came from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor and that its hierarchy should reflect the face of the faithful.

His last batch was installed in December 2024 with 21 cardinals, 20 of whom are in the conclave.

The excitement in the square is contagious

At one point there was applause from the crowd as thousands train their eyes on the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, but it was a false alarm.

“We want a Pope close to the people and close to us, to the youth, who represent the future of the Church, said Kacper Michalak, 20, a seminarian from Poland who came for the 2025 Jubilee. The holy year is an ancient church tradition encouraging spiritual renewal which encourages pilgrimages to Rome.

How long does it take to choose a pope?

It’s hard to say precisely. The Vatican doesn’t officially publish the number of votes in past conclaves, and sources compiling their own tallies don’t completely agree. But historical data provide a few clues.

The longest conclave since the 20th century began took 14 rounds of balloting across five days, ending with the election of Pius XI in 1922. The shortest, electing Pius XII in 1939, took three ballots over two days.

Cardinals must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a pope. That may have been easier in the past: In 1922 there were just 53 voting cardinals, and until 1978 conclaves had fewer than 100. This year there are 133, so 89 votes are needed.

These are the US cardinals voting for the next pope

The United States is home to 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope. That’s more than any other nation except Italy, home to 17 of the electors in the conclave choosing a successor to Pope Francis.

Only four of the American electors actively serve as archbishops in the U.S. — Timothy Dolan of New York, Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, and Robert McElroy of Washington. Two others are retired archbishops, and four have spent many years serving at the Vatican.

It’s a mixed group, ideologically. McElroy was one of Francis’ staunchest progressive allies. Cardinal Raymond Burke, a traditionalist, was a frequent critic of Francis.

▶ Read more about the US electors in the conclave

Conservative cardinals are likely seeking a more orthodox successor

Francis had many traditionalist critics who made clear they believed themselves to be more Catholic than the pope.

Francis sought to neutralize the conservative opposition through key appointments and targeted removals, and he also oversaw a crackdown on the old Latin Mass. When he approved blessings for same-sex couples, African bishops united in disapproval. And when he allowed divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, some accused him of heresy.

▶ Read more on Pope Francis’ conservative critics

The faithful in the piazza don’t get a vote. But if they did …

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, is hoping for a new pope in Francis’ image. “Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didn’t do enough. We’ll see if the next one will be able to do more.”

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he’d be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

“He has clear ideas, not much ideology. He’s a direct, intelligent, and respectful man,” Bogataj said from the square. “Most of all, he’s agile.”

A hot mic moment feeds conjecture over papal candidates

As the Sistine Chapel’s doors slammed shut to seal the cardinals off from the outside world, leadership of the proceedings was assumed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a leading contender to succeed him as pope.

Parolin is the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate, and seemed to have received blessings from none other than Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, who was caught on a hot mic during Wednesday’s pre-conclave Mass telling Parolin “Auguri doppio” or “double best wishes.”

Italians are debating whether this was a customary gesture, an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

Prominent cardinal hopes for white smoke by the evening

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, expressed hope that a new pope would be elected within hours, according to reports in major Italian newspapers.

“I hope that when I return to Rome this evening, I’ll find the white smoke already rising,” he said, speaking from the city of Pompei on Thursday.

Re is 91 years old, which makes him too old to participate in the conclave of 133 cardinals who are electing the next pope and who all have to be under 80.

However, he has been prominent and delivered a Mass on Wednesday before the cardinals began their conclave. As the Mass ended he was caught on a hot mic saying to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, viewed as a favorite for the papacy: “auguri doppi” (“double best wishes”).

Italians discussed whether this was a customary gesture acknowledging Parolin’s role as the most senior cardinal present in the conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement of Parolin’s candidacy for the papacy.

Black smoke again pours from the Sistine Chapel chimney: No pope elected yet

Black smoke is again pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The smoke billowed out at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the 133 cardinals will return to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered. They will have lunch and then return to the Sistine Chapel for the afternoon voting session.

Two more votes are possible on Thursday.

Day 2 of waiting for a new pope

Many faithful are hoping that the second day of the conclave will give the church and the world a new pope after a first vote produced dark smoke on Wednesday evening, sending a disappointed crowd to disperse in all directions in Rome.

Earlier, some of the people had started thinking that the long wait was the sign cardinals had reached a decision in a first vote, which would be unprecedented in the modern era.

“They probably need more time,” said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who travelled from Pescara in Italy’s Abruzzo region to be present at the historic moment.

Chiara Pironi, a 26-year-old who lives in Rome, said she would keep returning to St. Peter’s Square until a new pope is chosen.

“I don’t want to miss that moment,” she said.

A proverb and a warning

There is an old prover that Italians keep repeating: “He who enters the conclave as pope leaves as a cardinal.”

The saying warns against overconfidence among frontrunners in papal elections — those widely expected to win often do not.

In Rome, the phrase is heard frequently, from casual conversations to live TV broadcasts, where commentators use it to temper speculation.

It’s a reminder of the secrecy and unpredictability of the conclave, where decisions are made behind locked doors, and outcomes can surprise even seasoned Vatican watchers.

Who is voting in the conclave?

Of the 133 cardinals voting in the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.

The electors could feel loyalty to continue his legacy — even though the late pontiff didn’t choose cardinals based on ideology, but rather for their pastoral priorities and geographical diversity.

Beyond that, the cardinals will consider practical matters, like age. Piking a relatively young man — say in his 60s — could result in a papacy of 20 years or longer.

Also, choosing a pope from where the church is growing — Asia or Africa — could bring more upheaval to the Vatican’s Italian-heavy bureaucracy that is still smarting from the Argentine pope’s go-it-alone style.

Why might papal voting might have taken longer Wednesday evening?

Casting and counting ballots for a new pope might have taken longer than expected on Wednesday evening because of the large number of cardinals participating — 133 — and the linguistic diversity among them.

The electors hail from 70 countries, and not all speak or understand Italian fluently, which could have slowed down the proceedings if help with translation was needed. While in the past Latin was the universal language of the church, nowadays not all cardinals understand Latin or even Italian, the lingua franca of the Vatican.

Another unknown was the length of the meditation delivered by Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa after the Sistine Chapel doors closed and the voting began. Cantalamessa is the retired preacher of the papal household.

Also, the vote might have had to be done twice, if for some reason the first ballot had to be invalidated. That occurred in 2013 when during one voting round, an extra empty ballot appeared.

Black smoke pours from Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating conclave hasn’t elected pope

The smoke billowed out at 9 p.m. Wednesday, some four hours after 133 cardinals solemnly entered the Sistine Chapel, took their oaths of secrecy and formally opened the centuries-old ritual to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member church.

With no one securing the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals retired for the night to the Vatican residences where they are being sequestered.

▶ Read more about the conclave to pick the next pope