Leo XIV, new Pope

The US cardinal with Spanish ancestry has become the first Pontiff of the United States after being elected by the Conclave as the head of the Catholic Church and successor to Saint Peter. He has chosen the name Leo XIV and becomes the 267th Pope in history.

Peace was the word repeated numerous times by the new Pope Leo XIV during his first speech. He recalled his order of St. Augustine and remembered the late Francis, with whom he coincided in the Church's most social work on behalf of the most disadvantaged. 

He has extensive experience as a missionary, he considers the Church as missionary, he has a degree in mathematics and philosophy and is a good manager, responsible for the Order of Saint Augustine and currently holds the position of Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

He has an extensive academic background, including a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University, a master's degree in divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a bachelor's and doctorate magna cum laude in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

Thousands of people celebrated the white smoke from the chimney announcing that the 133 cardinals had elected Francis' successor in the fourth ballot.

In the fourth ballot, “habemus papam.” White smoke rose from the Conclave to elect Francis' successor after black smoke emerged yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, and this morning, Thursday, because none of the cardinals had reached the majority of 89 votes needed to be elected the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church.

The 133 cardinal electors began voting at around 9:30 a.m., and as required by the apostolic constitution governing the entire process, the ballots are only burned after two negative votes. This afternoon, another smoke appeared, but this time it was white, emerging at 6:09 p.m. from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel.