Robert Francis Prevost from Chicago has become the new Pope, announced Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti on Thursday, May 8. He has taken the name Leo XIV.

Before that, the faithful witnessed white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. This signaled that the 133 cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, gathered in a secret conclave, had elected a new pope, as confirmed by the Vatican News portal.

Following the appearance of the white smoke, people began gathering in St. Peter’s Square. Thousands were already there, awaiting the signal.

After a brief speech, the new pope will bless the faithful. As the 267th Bishop of Rome, he succeeds Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88.

The new pope will deliver an apostolic blessing to the faithful

As clarified by the Vatican, the conclave concluded once the new pope accepted the position.

After that, all ballots and other documents used during the election are burned, and the white smoke indicates that a pope has been elected.

Soon, he is expected to exit the Sistine Chapel and proceed to the sacristy known as the "Room of Tears," where, with the help of the head of papal liturgical celebrations, he will don the appropriate vestments.

Then, the pope will return to the Sistine Chapel and ascend the throne in a brief ceremony beginning with a greeting from the first cardinal of the order of cardinal-bishops.

Only after this will the cardinal protodeacon announce the election to the people and reveal his name by proclaiming the famous formula: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam!" ("I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope!")

Afterward, the new pontiff will exit the Sistine Chapel, offer a prayer, and then deliver the apostolic blessing "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World").

To win, a candidate needed at least two-thirds of the votes (89 out of 133 possible). The conclaves that elected previous popes—Francis, Benedict XVI, and John Paul II—lasted two to three days. The longest conclave, in the second half of the 13th century, stretched nearly three years.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope on March 13, 2013. He became the first pontiff from Latin America and the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

The Pope died on April 21 at the age of 89 from a stroke, coma, and "irreversible" cardiac arrest, according to the Vatican.

The day before, on April 20, the pontiff had blessed the faithful in St. Peter’s Square during the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" address. That was his final public appearance before his death.

In the final months of his life, Pope Francis was being treated for pneumonia and related complications. As per his will, Francis was buried in the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. For the past hundred years, his predecessors had been buried in the Vatican Grottoes.