CHICAGO (Diya TV) — Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born bishop with deep missionary roots in Peru, was elected pope on Thursday, becoming the first American in history to lead the Catholic Church. He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, signaling a new chapter for the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney at 6:07 p.m. local time, announcing to the world that a new pontiff had been chosen. Minutes later, Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, greeting the faithful with a message of unity and peace.

“Peace be with you all,” he said. “Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, to all people everywhere, to all the Earth.”

Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955, to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez. Holding both American and Peruvian citizenship, he brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of service in Latin America. He spent over a decade as a missionary and Church leader in Peru, later serving as Archbishop of Chiclayo.

Prevost’s elevation comes after a swift conclave convened following the funeral and mourning period for Pope Francis. The cardinals, secluded from the outside world inside Vatican City, began the centuries-old voting process on Thursday morning. Pope Leo XIV reportedly secured the required two-thirds majority after several rounds of voting — a pace consistent with recent conclaves, such as the five ballots that elected Francis in 2013.

The new pope’s rise reflects a Church increasingly influenced by leaders from outside Europe. Of the 133 cardinal-electors in the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, many of whom prioritized pastoral outreach over ideology. Prevost’s close association with Francis and his role in advancing some of the late pope’s most significant reforms may have positioned him as a natural successor.

In 2023, Francis appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most powerful roles in the Vatican, overseeing the selection of bishops worldwide. As part of that role, he presided over a landmark reform that allowed women to vote on bishop nominations—a first in Church history.

Prevost is also a member of multiple Vatican dicasteries, including those for Evangelization, Doctrine of the Faith, and Legislative Texts. He participated in both 2023 and 2024 sessions of the Synod on Synodality and accompanied Pope Francis on major apostolic journeys.

A lifelong Augustinian, he previously served two terms as Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine, headquartered in Rome. He holds a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and was ordained in 1982.

His chosen name, Leo XIV, revives a papal title last used in the 19th century, signaling perhaps a bridge between tradition and reform. It also distinguishes him from his immediate predecessor while avoiding ideological alignment with more recent popes.

With a background that spans North and South America, academic and pastoral leadership, and deep Vatican experience, Pope Leo XIV now faces the task of guiding a 1.3-billion-member Church through a complex era marked by cultural shifts, declining vocations in the West, and a growing Catholic presence in the global South.

His early statements and appointments in the coming weeks will offer the clearest signals yet of how he plans to shape his papacy — and whether he aims to expand, revise, or refine the legacy of Pope Francis.