ROME — Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Roman Catholic pontiff, the first ever pope from the United States and a possible bridge between the moderate and hard-line sides of a divided Church.

Prevost, 69, chose the name of Leo XIV for his pontificate and was greeted by thousands of cheering faithful as he stepped out onto a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square to be presented to the world.

“May peace be with you,” the new pope told a cheering crowd waving flags.

The new leader inherits from his predecessor Pope Francis a church that is facing internal strife between progressives and conservatives over matters such as divorce and LGBTQ+ issues, while trying to navigate geopolitical tensions from Russia’s war in Ukraine to the conflict in the Middle East.

Francis, who died last month, had said he wanted to lead a “poor church for the poor,” opened discussions on topics generally considered off limits, such as the role of women and the possibility for people who remarried to receive communion.

It took only two days to reach a consensus among the Church’s 133 electors, many of whom had been appointed by Francis, suggesting the former pontiff may have helped to shape the decision.

Francis had named his future successor to the Congregation for the Clergy in 2019 and made him a member of the Congregation for Bishops in 2020.

“Build bridges, with dialogue, with meetings, uniting everyone to be a single people,” Leo said in his first address as pope, in which he spoke in both Spanish and Italian. “Evil will not prevail.”

At a time of upheaval around the world, the conclave has chosen a leader who has a good chance of establishing strong relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, despite the new pope's reputation as an intellectual and his track record working for social justice.

“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” Trump said in a social media post. “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

A member of the Order of St. Augustine, Prevost evoked the saint who is one of the church’s most influential theologians. The message he is sending combines the intellectual heft of Pope Benedict XVI but also looks to the early days of Christianity and its original mission.

His choice of name also offers clues as to his intentions. The most famous papal namesake was Leo XIII, a progressive who helped push the Church into the modern age.

“Most of us thought a U.S. cardinal would never become pope, but Prevost got strong support from cardinals from Latin American where he worked for 20 years,” said Father Thomas Reese, a senior analyst and catholic scholar. “He is multilingual and has a reputation as a listener. The Holy Spirit continues to surprise us.”

Rejecting the perks and privileges of his position, Francis, the first pope from Latin America, had shunned the palatial papal apartments in favor of the Vatican guest house as he sought to set an example of humility and service.

Yet his reforms were criticized by the most orthodox part of the church and also, in some cases, by liberals who were expecting more radical changes and a tougher stance on abuses by clergy.

Prevost was born in Chicago but also has a Latin American connection, after spending much of his career in Peru before moving to Rome under Francis’ guidance. He is known for his governance experience, his pragmatism, and has experience of the workings of the Vatican.

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(With assistance from Daniele Lepido and Alberto Brambilla.)

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