A new pope has been named. What's next?
Robert Prevost was elected pope on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. At 69, he becomes the 267th pontiff in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history and the first American to hold the role.
At around 6 p.m. local time, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling to the world that a new pope had been chosen. Inside, the cardinals already knew that Prevost had been selected.
Soon after his election, he chose the name Leo XIV and was vested in traditional papal garments. Then, Leo stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and addressed the crowd gathered in the square. His first words, translated from Italian, were: “Peace be with you all.”
“This is the first greeting of the resurrected Christ, the good shepherd who has given up his life for God,” he said, explaining his choice. “And I should also like this greeting of peace to enter our hearts and our families.”
Leo also paid tribute to Pope Francis.
“Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome — the pope who blessed Rome and the world that Easter morning. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail.”
Now that a new pope has been named and made his first appearance, the question turns to what comes next.
Typically, about a week after the election, a ceremonial Mass is held in St. Peter's Square or inside the basilica to officially install the new pope. The ceremony is attended by cardinals, bishops and other international dignitaries.
According to ABC News, the ceremony once resembled a coronation, complete with the pope being crowned with a triregnum — a three-tiered tiara — and seated on an ornate papal throne. But much of that pageantry has since been abandoned.
Video below: Robert Francis Prevost announced as Pope Leo XIV
Pope Paul VI was the last to wear the triregnum at his 1963 installation. He also broke with tradition by moving the ceremony outdoors to St. Peter’s Square to accommodate massive crowds.
In the coming weeks and months, Pope Leo XIV is expected to begin meeting with foreign leaders to introduce himself and discuss the Church’s role in global affairs.
Among the first to offer congratulations was President Donald Trump.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American pope,” Trump posted on social media. “What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Early signs suggest Leo may continue in the path set by his predecessor. Vatican experts see him as closely aligned with Francis, who brought him to the Vatican in 2023 to lead the department responsible for vetting bishop nominations worldwide, one of the Church’s most influential offices.
Leo also oversaw one of Francis’ landmark reforms: adding three women to the voting body that forwards bishop nominations to the pope. In early 2025, Francis elevated Leo to the Church’s highest cardinal rank, a move many interpreted as signaling support for his future leadership.
Still, observers have noted that Leo has maintained a low public profile since arriving in Rome. And as the first American to lead the Catholic Church, his next moves are likely to draw intense global attention.
The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.
