The cardinals have officially signaled that they have chosen a new pope. After two days of deliberation and only four rounds of voting, it was officially decided that Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, would replace Pope Francis as the leader of the Catholic Church. This is the third pope in a row to be chosen on the second day of deliberations.
Prevost's ascension to the highest position in the church comes after 133 cardinals from around the world crammed into the Sistine Chapel for the start of the conclave to elect a new pope. Pope Leo XIV made his grand entrance on a balcony after ascending to the position to a musical fanfare, as crowds gathered around the Sistine Chapel to meet their new leader.
Crowds surrounding the chapel were chanting for their brand-new leader as they eagerly awaited his appearance. Earlier on Wednesday, the hundreds of cardinals filed into the chapel wearing white robes with red adornments.
The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over the morning mass as the cardinals gathered at the Vatican, where he urged voters to set aside all their personal interests to find a pope who prizes unity. The world, he said, needs a leader who can awaken consciences.
Cardinals across the world flocked to the Vatican weeks before the conclave started to say their final goodbyes to Pope Francis, who died last month after a prolonged health battle.
The Chicago-born prelate reportedly shares several views with the late Pope Francis. Prior to becoming Pope, Leo XIV was the head of the church's Dicastery for Bishops, which means he oversaw the selection of new bishops.
It was reported that the Chicago-born pope is seen as a centrist on several key issues. However, CBS stated that Leo XIV is also progressive on other issues.
CBS states that Leo XIV, like his predecessor, has long embraced marginalized groups, including migrants and the poor. Also like his predecessor, the new pope opposes ordaining women as deacons.
Speaking on the balcony of the Sistine Chapel, Leo XIV spoke his first words as the head of the Catholic Church. “This is the first greeting of the resurrected Christ, the good shepherd who has given up his life for God," he said.
“And I should also like this greeting of peace to enter our hearts and our families," he added. It was reported that, as he spoke the words, he appeared visibly emotional.
Moments after the election results had been revealed, U.S. President Donald Trump issued his statement congratulating the pope. "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," he wrote.
"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," Trump added. "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!"
It was initially reported that, Pietro Parolin, Luis Tagle, and Peter Erdo were among the top three contenders. Parolin, 70, was acting as the Vatican's Secretary of State. Parolin reportedly served in Pope Francis’s Vatican for 11 years and is currently in line to take over from his former boss.
Politically, the man is reportedly very moderate and has spent his career participating in the diplomatic wing of the Holy See, spending parts of his career in the Nunciature of Nigeria and Mexico. The man was made a Cardinal by Francis in 2014. Should he be voted into office, he would be considered an extension of Francis' dynasty.
Erdo,72, has reportedly been a figure of consequence in the politics of the contemporary church. The former president of the Council of Bishops Conferences of Europe and a devout Marian, has emphatically opposed the practice of divorced or remarried Catholics receiving Holy Communion due to the doctrinal belief in the insolubility of marriage.
The Hungarian frontrunner, who was appointed Cardinal in 2013 by John Paul II, has also been vocal about his opposition to European countries accepting refugees, claiming that it is tantamount to human trafficking. The final front-runner is the Philippines' cardinal Luis Tagle.
Serving as the pro-prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization and as president of the Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious, Luis Antonio Tagle has reportedly been dubbed the “Asian Pope Francis.” It was reported that Tagle and his left-leaning policies have long been critical of the Church's treatment of LGBT people and divorced and remarried Catholics.
In an interview in 2015, Tagle stated that the Church’s “severe” stance on gay people, divorcees and single mothers has done harm to its goal of evangelizing. After being made a cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, the man is just the seventh Filipino to be made a cardinal.
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