VATICAN CITY – Starting of a new era as Robert Prevost has been elected new Pope, making history as America’s first pontiff.
In an unprecedented moment for Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected as the new pope—becoming the first American to ever hold the papacy in the Church’s 2,000-year history.
International media reported as white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening, signaling that the College of Cardinals had successfully chosen a successor during the second day of the papal conclave. Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as the smoke billowed—a symbol that a new leader of the global Catholic community had been chosen.
Robert Prevost
Cardinal Prevost, a Chicago-born cleric who has spent decades serving as a missionary and bishop in Peru, currently heads the Vatican’s influential Dicastery for Bishops. The conclave cited his international experience and deep ties to Latin America and the U.S. as key factors in his selection.
Vatican has not yet released the name he has chosen as pope, though an announcement from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica is expected shortly.
The two-day conclave mirrored the pace of previous modern papal elections, including those of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, who were also chosen on the second day. The election process appears to have reached a consensus swiftly, indicating broad support for Prevost among his fellow cardinals.
This election marks a historic shift for the Church, as the papacy moves beyond its traditional European leadership to embrace a North American figure for the first time.
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