White smoke rises as new Pope Robert Francis Prevost is officially announced at the Vatican

The Catholic Church will now be led by Pope Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Pontiff native of Chicago.

Just this Thursday evening, white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a successor to Pope Francis had been chosen. Within the next hour, a senior cardinal stepped onto the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and welcomed its newest leader by announcing “Habemus papam!” – Latin for “We have a pope!”

Pope Robert Francis Prevost stepped out shortly after, though he will now go by his papal name, Pope Leo XIV. According to Al Jazeera, the pontiff is a US and Peruvian citizen who spent many years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Read Pope Robert Francis Prevost's first words to his church below:

In his first words addressing the 50,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square and the 1.4 billion Catholics around the globe, Pope Robert Francis Prevost wished peace on the people before adding:

“Evil will not prevail; we are in the hands of God,” he told supporters. “So without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we go forward.” “Thank you, Pope Francis,” he said. He called for a “missionary church … that builds bridges, is always open to welcome everyone.”

The pontiff addressed the people in Spanish, and in his speech, called on the "people of Rome and Italy" to be a "church that shows charity always and is especially charitable to those who are suffering."

Noting that "today is the day of praying to the Madonna of Pompeii," Pope Robert Francis Prevost called on his supporters to "pray for this new mission and peace in the world."

"We have to seek together to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges and dialogue, always ready to accept, like this great piazza, with its arms, we have to show our charity, presence and dialogue with love."

The election of an American pope brings an end to the Vatican's longstanding opposition to the idea of a pontiff hailing from the States. US President Donald Trump acknowledged the white smoke just before the name of the pope was announced.

“I saw the smoke, but I haven’t seen the pope,” Trump told reporters as he left the White House.

In a statement on social media, Trump said of the new pope:

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"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

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