"Pope." We have a Pope.
After several days of fanatical speculation, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was declared the 267th leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti said: "Annuntio Vobis gaudium Magnum.
He said in Latin: “He will name Leo No. 14 because the chimney where the election took place has gathered in St. Peter’s Square for about an hour since the white smoke was poured out from the chimney above the Sistine Church.
The newly anointed Pope Leo Xiv came to the balcony with a white cassava stuffed with a red cloak trimmed by Ermine and draped with golden embroidered curtains. He held his hands tightly and prayed, smiling as the crowd chanted his name, “Viva la Papa!”
"Peace may be with all of you," he said in an Italian accent. “For all, no matter where they are, to all people on earth, it is possible to be with you.”
He briefly spoke of his predecessor, saying, “May all of us build a bridge through dialogue, thank you Pope Francis.”
He thanked his cardinal for his brief turn to Spanish for his diocese in Peru, where he served for decades. He ended with his first “urbi et Orbi” blessing, a formal speech from the city of Rome and the world, indicating the beginning of his pope.
At the end of the prayer, the crowds squeezed into the flags of St. Peter's Square, which came from many countries, including several United States. This is a microcosm of more than 1 billion Catholics around the world, and this moment has been waiting for more than a week.
Leo will be the first pope from the United States in the church history and the second pope after Francis, Argentina.
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U.S. President Donald Trump, who attended Francis’ funeral last month, congratulated Pope Leo Xiv on a social media post: “Realizing that he is the first pope in the United States,” Trump wrote. "What excitement is, what honor is for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo. It will be a very meaningful moment."
Pope Leo from Chicago smiled and waved the crowd of 100,000 people as the sun sank behind the Vatican. He bowed and left the balcony.
Leo, 69, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the climax of a centuries-old election ritual, in which a specially selected cardinal swore, kept it secret, and spent a few days behind the closed doors of Sistine Chapel, deciding who best led the church through a time of a crushing defeat.
The vote began Wednesday night and the results were inconclusive. Three more rounds of the game were held Thursday, and two-thirds to be chosen before the Cardinals get the required two-thirds majority vote.
The fact that the choice of less than two days is comparable to that of Francis in 2013 shows that the Cardinal is almost consistent. This is not given. While many want to see an expansion of Francis’ inclusive legacy, some fear that opening the church’s doors for different perspectives may dilute the power of leadership.
Read more: Pope Francis’ complex but undeniable impact on the LGBTQ community
The choice of Cardinal Prevost, a moderate pragmatist approaching Francis and Vatican leaders, suggests that Cardinal Electronic Motor is seeking a stable hand to guide the church through the tricky doctrinal debate of reformist Francis, reformist Francis, reformist Francis, reformist Francis.
The name he chose (Leo all showed strength during the crisis - also a powerful indication that he prepared for what the church was waiting for during a time of global instability.
The fact that he wore Francis' traditional Ermine tassel red cloak in 2013 suggests that Leo Xiv might try to bring the church back to some more traditional roots. Nevertheless, he praised Francis’ commitment to the suffering of the world and reiterated his desire to continue the path to open up the doctrinal debate, known as Synchronization.
Pope Leo Fourteen will return to the balcony above St. Peter's Square within a few days to attend the inauguration ceremony within a few days.