Vatican: Newly Elected Pope Leo XIV Makes First Appearance After Conclave 2

On Thursday, May 8, 133 cardinals from around the world elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV at the Sistine Chapel during the Conclave, making him the first US-born Pope in the Roman Catholic Church's 2,000-year history. This video shows the first appearance of Pope Leo XIV on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, waves from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican after his election by the papal conclave as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, waves from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican after his election by the papal conclave as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Vatican conclave elects new pope

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV (3rd from L), formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, addresses the crowd on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican after his election by the papal conclave as leader of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Firefighters Install Chimney On The Sistine Chapel For Papal Election - Vatican

Vatican's firefighters setup the chimney on the roof of the Sistine chapel at the Vatican on May 2, 2025 ahead of Conclave beginning on the 7th May. From this chimney white smoke will signal the election of a new pope. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Vatican's "sede vacante" postage stamps

Vatican's "sede vacante" postage stamps

Photo taken at the Vatican on April 30, 2025, shows a Vatican postage stamp marking the period between Pope Francis' death and the election of his successor, with two crossed keys but no papal headgear. The so-called "sede vacante" (Latin for "the see being vacant") stamps are only valid until a new pope is elected.

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

A Vatican employee put seals on the Papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace on April 21, 2025 at the Vatican, following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death in the morning. When the Apostolic See becomes vacant, the papal apartments are sealed, not to be opened again until the election of a new pope. Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

Cardinal Kevin Farrell , Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber puts seals on the Papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace on April 21, 2025 at the Vatican, following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death in the morning. When the Apostolic See becomes vacant, the papal apartments are sealed, not to be opened again until the election of a new pope. Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

The Sealing Of The Papal Apartments - Vatican

Cardinal Kevin Farrell (C), Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin (L) put seals on the Papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace on April 21, 2025 at the Vatican, following the announcement of Pope Francis’ death in the morning. When the Apostolic See becomes vacant, the papal apartments are sealed, not to be opened again until the election of a new pope. Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Francis Dies Aged 88

Pope Francis Dies Aged 88

File photo - Pope Francis in the Casa Santa Marta, the guest house in the Vatican on April 7, 2014 where he has chosen to live.The guesthouse was built in 1996 on the site of an ancient hospice for the poor. The five-story building has 106 suites, 22 single rooms, and one apartment and sits on the edge of Vatican City. It is regularly inhabited by a few dozen priests and bishops who work in the Vatican. Half the rooms are available for cardinals and bishops visiting Rome for audiences or other official occasions. It was Pope John Paul II who called for the construction of a residence where cardinal electors?the cardinals who can cast votes in papal elections?could live during the papal election. -- Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

File photo - Cardinal ‘papabile’ Marc Ouellet (Canada) attends the Palm Sunday mass in St Peter s Square, Vatican on April 2, 2023. - Ouellet served as Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003 and was considered a possible candidate for election to the papacy in both 2005 and 2013. He is considered, within the church and the curia, one of the papal names, and could be the Successor of Peter. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

File photo - Cardinal ‘papabile’ Marc Ouellet (Canada) at the Vatican March 4, 2013. - Ouellet served as Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003 and was considered a possible candidate for election to the papacy in both 2005 and 2013. He is considered, within the church and the curia, one of the papal names, and could be the Successor of Peter. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

File photo - Cardinal ‘papabile’ Marc Ouellet (Canada) near the Vatican on June 4, 2009. Ouellet served as Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003 and was considered a possible candidate for election to the papacy in both 2005 and 2013. He is considered, within the church and the curia, one of the papal names, and could be the Successor of Peter. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

File photo - Cardinal ‘papabile’ Marc Ouellet (Canada) attends the Palm Sunday mass in St Peter s Square, Vatican on March 24, 2024. - Ouellet served as Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003 and was considered a possible candidate for election to the papacy in both 2005 and 2013. He is considered, within the church and the curia, one of the papal names, and could be the Successor of Peter. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

The Cardinals ‘Papabile’ - Vatican

File photo - Cardinal ‘papabile’ Marc Ouellet (Canada) attends a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican on August 30, 2022. - Ouellet served as Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada from 2003 to 2010. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on 21 October 2003 and was considered a possible candidate for election to the papacy in both 2005 and 2013. He is considered, within the church and the curia, one of the papal names, and could be the Successor of Peter. Photo by Eric Vandeville/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, on September 13, 2024. Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, on September 13, 2024. Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, on September 13, 2024. Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, on September 13, 2024. Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Says Both Trump and Harris Are Against Life

Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on his flight back after his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania, on September 13, 2024. Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” Photo by (EV) Vatican Media/ABACAPRESS.COM