Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peter’s Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling and bowing.
“Peace be with you,” he told the crowds.
White smoke from the Sistine Chapel had billowed into the sky on the cardinals’ second day of voting to announce his election in a secret conclave, while the bells of St Peter’s Basilica and churches across Rome rang out.
Crowds of people rushed towards the square to watch the balcony of the basilica, which had been fitted out with red curtains for the first address to the world by the 267th pope.
The new pontiff, who succeeds Argentine reformer Pope Francis, was introduced in Latin with his chosen papal name.
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.
Pope Francis died last month, aged 88, after a 12-year papacy during which he sought to forge a more compassionate Church – but drew anger from many conservatives with his progressive approach.
The new pope now faces a momentous task: as well as asserting his moral voice on a conflict-torn global stage, he must try to unite a divided Church and tackle burning issues such as the continued fallout from the sexual abuse scandal.
Some 133 “Princes of the Church” from five continents – the largest and most international conclave ever – began voting on Wednesday afternoon.
Sworn to secrecy, on pain of excommunication, their only means of communicating their progress to the outside world was by sending up smoke through the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
On Wednesday evening and then again on Thursday lunchtime, the smoke was black, eliciting disappointed sighs from the tens of thousands watching.
But on Thursday afternoon, just after 6:00 pm (1600 GMT), the smoke emitted was white, confirming that the Catholic Church has a new spiritual leader.
It was unknown how many ballots it took to elect the new pope, but it followed recent history in wrapping up in less than two days. (Agencies)
