Robert Prevost elected pope, takes the name Leo XIV

On 8 May 2025 the conclave elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost pope on its fourth ballot, the second day of voting. He took the name Leo XIV, becoming the 267th pope, the first born in the United States, and the first from the Order of Saint Augustine. Before his election he led the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops and had been Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

What happened

White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney in the early evening. The senior cardinal deacon announced the election from the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica, and the new pope appeared to greet the city and the world and to impart the blessing Urbi et Orbi.

The new pope is Robert Francis Prevost, 69 at the time of election, a member of the Order of Saint Augustine who spent much of his life in Peru.

What Pope Leo said

He spoke of a peace that is “disarmed and disarming”, paid tribute to Pope Francis, quoted St Augustine, and greeted his former diocese of Chiclayo in Spanish.

Why it matters

• First pope born in the United States, and a naturalised citizen of Peru.
• First Augustinian pope.
• Deep experience of the Church in the Global South.
• Comes from inside the Curia, having vetted bishop appointments worldwide since 2023.

Key facts

Context

Prevost was appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops by Pope Francis in 2023 and created a cardinal that September, following the pope's death on 21 April 2025. See the timeline for the full sequence.

Timeline