Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been named the 267th pope in history, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
Originally from Chicago, Prevost is the first American to assume the papacy. He was chosen as the successor to the late Pope Francis on the second day of voting during a papal conclave, which included over 130 cardinals.
Prevost marks the first new pope since 2013 and succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 on April 21. The papal conclave typically convenes 15 to 20 days after a pope’s death.
The conclave of 2013, which selected Pope Francis, lasted two days. Francis succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned from his papal duties.
The current conclave began on May 7, with the cardinals sequestered in the Sistine Chapel at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Conclaves do not have a set time limit.
On May 7, the cardinals held an initial vote to open the conclave. From that point, voting continues daily with four rounds of ballots and two rounds of smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney.
Twice a day, the ballots are burned to indicate whether a new pope has been elected. Black smoke signals that no decision has been made.
