By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
The Roman Catholic Church now has a new spiritual leader.
In a moment of global anticipation and solemn tradition, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected as the 267th Pope, assuming the name Pope Leo XIV.
His election was signalled by the iconic white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday, sending waves of celebration across St Peter’s Square and throughout the Catholic world.
Born on September 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is the first American to ascend to the papacy.
A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he brings decades of pastoral, academic and administrative experience, particularly from Latin America, to the helm of the Church.
He officially began his papacy on May 8, 2025, succeeding Pope Francis.
Before his elevation to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV served the Church in diverse and influential roles.
His early years in ministry were marked by missionary work in Peru, where he worked extensively from the mid-1980s through the late 1990s.
There, he was a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary educator, and administrator, gaining deep insight into the needs of local communities and the broader Latin American Church.
From 2001 to 2013, he served as Superior General of the Augustinians, guiding the order through a period of spiritual and organisational growth.
In 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, a position he held until 2023.
That year marked a significant rise in his global Church profile when Pope Francis appointed him as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, positions that underscored his leadership capabilities and prepared him for his new role.
Following his election by the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV was led into the Room of Tears, a private chamber beside the Sistine Chapel, where he donned the traditional white papal robes for the first time.
His selection was publicly confirmed with the ancient phrase “Habemus Papam”—“We have a Pope”—before he was introduced to the world from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
As the white smoke billowed into the Roman sky, the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square erupted with jubilation.
Bells rang out across the Vatican, echoing over a sea of joyful faces, some cheering, some weeping, others deep in prayer.
The emotional scene reflected the magnitude of the moment for the Church’s 1.5 billion faithful.
