Cardinal Rupert Prevost is the new Pope

Cardinal Rupert Prevost has emerged as the new Pope.

The 69-year-old is the first American to emerge the Pope.

The new Pope has taken a new name Pope Leo XIV.

Earlier, white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday evening, signalling that the 133 Roman Catholic cardinals gathered inside the Vatican had elected a new pope.

The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers, priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted “Viva il papa!” after the white smoke wafted into the late afternoon sky at 6:07 p.m. Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won.

The smoke signal means the winner secured at least 89 votes of the 133 cardinals participating in the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

The name of the new Pope was announced  when a top cardinal utters the words “Habemus Papam!” — Latin for “We have a pope!” — from the loggia of the basilica. The cardinal then reads the winner’s birth name in Latin and reveals the name he has chosen to be called.

The new pope is expected to make his first public appearance and impart a blessing from the same loggia.

The Star