Robert Francis Prevost has been appointed as the new head of the Catholic Church following the passing of Pope Francis, adopting the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first Pope in history to hail from America.
Cardinal Dominique Mamberti made the announcement on Thursday, May 8.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21 at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta within the Vatican. He was 88 years old.
With profound sadness, I must inform you of the passing of our Holy Father Francis, as stated by Cardinal Kevin Farrell. ‘At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, has returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was devoted to serving the Lord and His Church. He exemplified the values of the Gospel through fidelity, courage, and universal love, particularly for the poorest and most marginalized among us.’
Farrell expressed, “With profound appreciation for his role as a genuine follower of the Lord Jesus, we entrust the soul of Pope Francis to the boundless merciful love of the Triune God.”
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, makes his inaugural appearance on the central loggia balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica following the conclusion of the conclave by the cardinals, in Vatican City, on May 8, 2025. This event follows the passing of Pope Francis, who had been suffering from health complications that began with a bronchitis hospitalization in February, which subsequently led to double pneumonia. After spending 38 days in the hospital, he was discharged in March to recuperate at home.
The Vatican reported that Pope Francis passed away shortly after news of his death emerged, having suffered a cerebral stroke, which led to a coma and ultimately resulted in irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.
In March 2013, Pope Francis was appointed as the leader of the Catholic Church following his election by a papal conclave, which took place after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI the previous month. Throughout his leadership, he has established a distinct identity as the first pope from Latin America.
The procedure for electing a new pope entails a gathering of the church’s senior officials, who are under the age of 80, convening in a confidential conclave at the Sistine Chapel in Rome. This assembly usually takes place 10 to 15 days following the death of the pope. A new pope is elected once a candidate secures a two-thirds majority in the voting process. After each voting round, the ballots are incinerated, with black smoke from the chimney indicating that the votes were inconclusive, while white smoke signifies the election of a new pope.
