Vatican: With white smoke emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel late yesterday, the Vatican announced a new leader of the Catholic Church — US-born Cardinal Robert Prevost. Prevost assumed the name Pope Leo XIV, in what experts say signals a commitment to workers and an emphasis on “global Catholicism.”

Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude to the cardinals who elected him during the two-day conclave. “We can all walk together towards that homeland God has prepared for us,” he said.

Earlier in the day, black smoke was again seen pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating that no Pope was elected on second or third ballots of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. The smoke billowed out at 11.50 am on Thursday after the morning voting session to elect a successor to Pope Francis to lead the 1.4 billion-member Church.

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.

In his first address from St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo called for “a disarmed peace and a disarming peace”, while signalling he would continue some of Pope Francis’ progressive approach to issues like migration  and climate change.

Leo is the first Pope to have been born in the United States. He is also a citizen of Peru, where he has spent much of his life.

Shortly after the announcement of the new Pope, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, addressed journalists at a conference in the Holy See Press Office.

“We have heard the Pope’s first words,” said Bruni, words of peace, “unarmed and disarming.” Bruni noted that the Pope spoke of dialogue and that his first blessing recalled Pope Francis’ message just a few days ago, on Easter Sunday: “God cares for us, He loves you all, and evil will not prevail”.

The new Pope will celebrate Mass with the College of Cardinals today at the Sistine Chapel. On Sunday, he will lead the Regina Coeli prayer from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.