The new pope is Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff to be elected leader of the Catholic Church
Prevost, 69, is greeted with huge cheers from thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square. “May peace be with all of you,” he says from the Vatican balcony
Chicago-born Prevost is seen as a reformer and worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there.
The new Pope addressed crowd gathered at St. Peter Square in confident Italian, switching to Spanish briefly at the end when thanking his former diocese in Peru.
“I would like this greeting of peace to reach all your hearts and families… and people around the world. May peace be with you,” Pope Leo XIV began as the square fell silent.
At other moments, his address was met with frequent warm applause, especially when the new Pope mentioned peace and the late Pope Francis.
He also insisted on the need for unity, and at the end asked everyone to join together in prayer.
When he began reciting Ave Maria, a deep hum rose as the square followed suit, with some signing in their own languages.
There had been talk that cardinals felt the new pope would need to be someone who would take forward Pope Francis’s legacy of reaching out to those on the margins, but also bring along with him a wide spectrum of those within the Church, including those Pope Francis was sometimes at loggerheads with.
Going into conclave, Cardinal Robert Prevost was thought of by observers as a candidate who could fulfil that role, someone who could be a bridge between different worlds.
The fact the conclave came to a decision in just four rounds of voting suggests the cardinals agreed with that assessment.
As he concludes the reading with a further blessing, Pope Leo XIV waves at the crowd that is now filling in most of St. Peter’s Square.
Switching back to Italian, the new pontiff calls on the crowd to pray to the Virgin Mary “together” for her blessing.
He then leads the people in a quick prayer, which is greeted by further cheering.
After concluding his speech, the new Pope starts reading a religious passage in Latin paying homage to the saints and the Madonna.
Pope Leo XIV then thanks the cardinals who elected him during the two-day conclave.
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He briefly pauses as the crowd applauds and cheers.
“We can all walk together towards that homeland God has prepared for us,” he says. “A special greeting to the Church of Rome.”
Provost then switches to Spanish to thank his former diocese in Peru “where a loyal people has shared its faith and has given a lot.
More lines from the new pope, who continues with a message of peace as he notes “God loves us all, unconditionally”.
He pays tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, as he says he wants to deliver his own blessing to the people as Pope Francis did in his last appearance in St Peter’s Square.
“Humanity needs Christ as a bridge to be reached by God and his love. Help us, and help each other, build bridges.”
Addressing the cheering crowd in Italian, 69-year-old says: “Peace be with all of you.
“Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I would like to offer a greeting of peace to reach your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you.”
