Pope Leo XIV will be the Catholic Church's 267th leader.
VATICAN CITY -- The temporary chimney atop the Sistine Chapel released a plume of white smoke on Thursday evening local time, signaling that the 133 cardinals working inside had reached a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church.
American Cardinal Robert Prevost was shortly thereafter announced as the 267th pontiff. He chose the name Leo XIV, a senior cardinal deacon announced.
The 69-year-old Chicago native is the first American pope and is seen as a diplomat in the church.
"This is the first greeting of the risen Christ. May the peace be with you," Leo said in Italian in his first remarks as pope. "This is the peace of the risen Christ."
(The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.)
Pope Leo XIV - history-making, the first American Pope. Now, David Muir reports from the Vatican in the breaking, new "20/20" special edition. Watch the premiere of "The American Pope | Leo XIV" tonight at 9/8c on ABC. Stream on Hulu and Disney+
The 133 cardinals line up to take an oath to ensure the secrecy of the conclave to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Each cardinal will place their hand on the Book of the Gospels to take the oath.
The oath promises to keep the secrecy of anything that relates to the election of the new pope.
Cardinals make their way from the Pauline Chapel to the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave to elect the next pope.
Once the procession ends, the 133 cardinals will take an oath as a group to ensure the secrecy of the conclave.
The official start of the papal conclave to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church is about to begin.
The 133 voting cardinals are expected to take their oaths at the Sistine Chapel at about 4:30 p.m. following a procession from the Pauline Chapel in reverse seniority.
The master of ceremony will then oversee the official start of the conclave at 5 p.m.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said in a post to X on Wednesday that he and the other North American cardinals will bring the "intentions" of regional Catholics to the conclave.
"Please keep us in your prayers," Dolan wrote.
