Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV, becoming the first U.S. pontiff.

Pope Leo, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica around 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church.

"Peace be with you all," the new pope told the cheering crowd.

"We still have the sound in our ears of the weak voice of Pope Francis who was blessing Rome here," he said, speaking in Italian.

"Giving his blessing to the world on that day of Easter Sunday. Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. So without fear, united, hand in hand, with God in ourselves, we go forward."

He added: "We are disciples of Christ … the world needs his light. Humanity needs him."

"May we all build bridges with dialogue … so that we can all be one people in peace," the new pope said.

The choice of Prevost was announced by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti with the Latin words "Habemus Papam" (We have a pope) to tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square to hear the news.

Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.

Leo becomes the 267th Catholic pope after the death last month of Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pope and had led the Church for 12 years and widely sought to open the staid institution up to the modern world.

Prevost has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues.

U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Pope Leo on his election to head the Catholic Church, and said it "is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope."

Prevost served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.

Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world's bishops.

Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: "Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church."