Pope Leo XIV calls for end to wars in Ukraine, Gaza

Pope Leo XIV was elected as the Catholic Church's 267th leader on Thursday.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Julia Jacobo, Megan Forrester, and Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 7:55 AM EDT

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."

Tune in to "The American Pope: Leo XIV," a special edition of "20/20," streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.

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May 07, 2025, 2:59 AM EDT

What to expect as cardinals gather for conclave

Hundreds of Catholic cardinals -- of whom 133 will be voting -- have gathered at the Vatican to begin the process of electing the next pope on Wednesday.

The cardinals will first attend a mass at St. Peter's Basilica at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET).

Nuns walk near St. Peter's Basilica on the first day of the conclave to elect the next pope near the Vatican, in Rome, Italy, on May 7, 2025.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

The 133 voting cardinals will then enter the Pauline Chapel at around 4:15 p.m., from which they will proceed to the Sistine Chapel to take their oaths at approximately 4:30 p.m.

The master of ceremony will then oversee the official start of the conclave at approximately 5 p.m.

-ABC News' Phoebe Natanson and Joe Simonetti

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