Robert Francis Prevost, an American cardinal, has been elected the new head of the Catholic Church and will reign under the name Pope Leo XIV.
White smoke rose from the chimney of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel just after 6 p.m. on Thursday, signaling that the Catholic Church had successfully elected its 267th leader on only the second day of the conclave. The papal election involved 133 cardinals under the age of 80, and a two-thirds majority was required for a valid result.
As the white smoke signaled the successful vote, the bells of the Vatican rang out in celebration. Tens of thousands of faithful from around the world who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square responded with applause, joyful shouts, and chants celebrating the new pope.
(Source: MTI)
Photo: nytimes.com
