New Catholic Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, on Thursday, called on the world to “build bridges” and for peace for “all peoples”, as he addressed the crowd who thronged, keeping vigil at St. Peter’s Square, at the 🪣 can, following his election.

The new Pontiff urged himanity to “build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace”, before paying homage to his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

Robert Cardinal Prevost, the 267th Pope of the  Catholic Church, chose the Papal name, Pope Leo XIV, after the College of Cardinals emerged from the Conclave, signalling the successful election of a new Pope.

White smoke rose from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel by afternoon on Thursday, May 8, signaling that the voting Cardinals have come to a two-thirds consensus decision on a new Pope. 

The conclave, began the previous day, May 7th and lasted for two days.

A short while later, Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals all came out to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announced “habemus papam,” which means, “we have a Pope.”

The new Pope, 69, then stepped out onto the balcony for the first time pronouncing his first words: “Peace be with you.”

He also paid tribute to his predecessor,  Pope Francis, remarking that the late Pontiff “blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter.”

He added: “Allow me to follow up on that blessing,” during the emotional speech made in Latin, the official language at the Vatican, before adding: “God loves us. God loves everyone”. And remembering the level of strife across countries and globally, he added, “Evil will not prevail.” 

Born in Chicago, USA, previously, he was the leader of the Augustinian Order and in 2023 he was appointed by the late Pope Francis to the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the selection of new bishops from across the globe.

He also has missionary experience in Peru, serving as the Bishop of the city of Chiclayo. 

The conclave, the historically secretive process of choosing a new Pope, involves rounds of voting among members of the College of Cardinals who are under 80 years old. 

In the 2025 conclave, there were 135 cardinals who were eligible to vote, although two were unable to attend due to health reasons.

At 133 cardinals, this marked the most electors to ever vote in a conclave, a voting body of 115 elected Pope Francis, and 108 of them were installed by the late Pontiff, who was elected on the fifth ballot back in 2013, which was cast the day after the conclave began.

Francis sought to diversify the College of Cardinals during his papacy. He was the first Latin American pope, and the first non-European pope since the eighth century, and in his 13 years as pontiff, he appointed many cardinals from Africa, South America and Asia, per NPR. (Reports from people.com)