White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican at 6:07pm local time on Thursday, as the College of Cardinals elected the first American pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV. In his first words as pope, the successor to the late Pope Francis—the first Latin American pontiff in history—emphasized peace and dialogue ‘without fear’.
Prevost, 69, spent much of his career ministering in Peru, before being brought to the Vatican by Pope Francis in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office responsible for vetting bishop nominations from around the world—one of the most influential positions in the Catholic Church. He had served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023.
Pope Leo XIV is known for his moderate stance, with a focus on bridging the divide between traditionalists and progressives within the Church. He supports the principle of synodality, which encourages dialogue between bishops and laypeople. His election comes at a pivotal time, following the sweeping reforms initiated by Pope Francis, which pushed the Church in a more progressive direction—changes not all conservative cardinals agreed with. These include a more inclusive approach towards the LGBTQ+ community, an area where Pope Leo’s past views appear to diverge from those of his predecessor. The New York Times reported that in 2012, Prevost had criticized entertainment media for promoting ‘sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel’, including ‘the homosexual lifestyle’ and ‘alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.’
US President Donald Trump welcomed Prevost’s election, writing on Truth Social: ‘It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.’ Trump added that he is looking forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV.
During the conclave, Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself dressed as the pope on X, which was later reposted by the official White House account—drawing criticism from Christian leaders and believers alike.
‘A new hope,’ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote in a congratulatory post on X. ‘God bless Pope Leo XIV,’ he added. Orbán had a close relationship with Pope Francis and met with him on several occasions, most recently in December 2024 as part of his second peace mission aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó quoted Pope Leo XIV’s first words in his post on X: ‘Peace be with you all!’
With a background in international missionary work, Pope Leo XIV is expected to play a significant role in global diplomacy. He is likely to leverage the moral authority of the Church to influence peace processes in conflict zones including Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan.
Prevost was considered something of an underdog among the top contenders for the throne of St Peter. Polymarket gave him only a 2 per cent chance of being elected, while Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin maintained the highest odds throughout the conclave, peaking at around 33 per cent. Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő also ranked higher, with a probability of around 8 per cent.
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