New Pope Leo makes first public appearance

THE first-ever American Pope has appeared in front of jubilant crowds in Rome as the new leader of the Catholic Church.

- AINE FOX

Pope Leo XIV emerged on to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica yesterday evening as a packed St Peter's Square erupted in cheers and applause.

He was Cardinal Robert Prevost, is from Chicago and is fairly young for a Pope, at the age of 69.

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting “Habemus Papam” - the Latin for “we have a Pope” - since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday.

The new pontiff is the 267th Pope, becoming the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first.

The secret conclave meeting - steeped in tradition and mystery - had only just begun some 24 hours earlier.

The 133 cardinals had voted on Wednesday evening and yesterday morning, with black smoke emitted from the chapel chimney twice, showing no-one had been elected.

But in the bright sunshine of yesterday afternoon, white smoke began to billow out, with onlookers bearing witness to history as the Church confirmed it had its new leader.