Pope Leo XIV was elected as the Catholic Church's 267th leader on Thursday.
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+.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, released one last message before he entered the dome of Santa Maria for the start of the papal conclave.
Dolan asked for prayers as the cardinals gather to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church.
"I won't be able to talk to you until you see the white smoke," Dolan said in the video, posted to X.
Cardinals preparing for the beginning of the conclave on Wednesday shared messages on social media before going into lockdown in the Vatican until the next pope is chosen.
Cardinal Natalio Chomali from Chile posted a video of himself hand washing his white shirt "to be impeccable for the conclave.”
American Cardinal Joseph Tobin posted prayers to X asking for support "as we gather in conclave to discern the Holy Spirit’s choice for the next Bishop of Rome," and later asking for “the Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern God’s will."
In a video message on a Filipino Catholic Facebook page, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle -- considered a frontrunner to be the next pope -- asked: "Who will you trust? People give their trust depending on their personal relationship. The only one you can trust is God. Give your trust to God who will direct you to the right path."
Another Filipino, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, wrote on his Facebook page, "SIGNING OFF STARTING TOMORROW EVENING.”
“How long before the white smoke comes out? That will be up to the Lord," David wrote.
-ABC News’ Camilla Alcini
The selection process for a new pope, which will commence on Wednesday, will begin when all cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to participate enter the secret conclave inside the Sistine Chapel to choose the next pontiff.
Father James Martin, a papal contributor to ABC News, said cardinals will be looking for "someone who is holy, someone who is a good evangelizer who can proclaim the gospel and someone who is a good manager."
Any baptized Catholic male is eligible to take Francis' place, but Miles Pattenden, historian of the Catholic Church at Oxford University, said Pietro Parolin, the cardinal secretary of state, and Luis Tagle, the archbishop of Manila in the Philippines, are the main front-runners.
-ABC News' Megan Forrester
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.
