White smoke sprang at 6:08 p.m. on Thursday, marking the election of a new pope. At the end of the second day of the conclave, the 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel brought their choice on the American Robert Francis Prevost, an influential and experienced figure of the Catholic Church.
Born September 14, 1955 in Chicago, Robert Francis Prevost thus became the first pope from the United States, a historic turning point for the church. Prefect of the powerful bishops Dicaster since 2023, he supervised episcopal appointments worldwide, a strategic position that placed him at the heart of the ecclesial apparatus.
Before that, Mgr Prevost worked as a missionary in Peru for several years. He was notably Archbishop-Bishop of Chiclayo, in the north of the country, where he left a lasting imprint with the faithful. His South American experience led him to also preside over the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, strengthening its links with this major Catholic continent.
This choice seems to respond to the will of the cardinals to combine tradition and openness, administrative experience and pastoral commitment. Its international profile and its fine knowledge of local issues, especially in Latin America, could shape attentive papacy to the social realities of the contemporary world.
The appearance of Robert Francis Prevost on the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica is expected with emotion and curiosity, while the faithful of the whole world discover the face of the one who succeeds François.
