In a historic decision that resonated around the globe, including in predominantly Buddhist Thailand, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday evening, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
Millions watched the moment unfold live—including many in Thailand who stayed up past midnight—as white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel, signaling the successful election on the second day of the conclave.
Joyous cries of “Viva il Papa!” rang through St. Peter’s Square as tens of thousands erupted in cheers, tears, and prayer.
Shortly afterward, the new pope appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and offered his first words to the world as spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics.
“To all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole Earth: peace be with you,” said a smiling Pope Leo XIV, drawing warm applause.
“Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace.”
His inclusive message of unity and peace was met with even greater enthusiasm when he addressed the crowd in Spanish—a nod to his years of missionary service in Peru—and paid heartfelt tribute to his beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, who passed away last month.
“We still keep in our ears that weak, but always courageous, voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome,” he said, recalling the Argentine pope’s final Easter Sunday address, just a day before his death at the age of 88.
Pope Leo XIV, a former missionary and bishop, takes up the papacy during a time of considerable global and ecclesial challenges: conflicts around the world, internal Church divisions, and the continuing repercussions of clerical abuse scandals.
“The new pope is not claiming a throne but embracing a cross,” Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, told LiCAS News early Friday morning.
The Thai archbishop called on priests, religious, and the faithful to continue praying for the newly elected pontiff, reminding them that “he is not stepping into glory—he is walking into sacrifice.”
In a moving reflection, he added:
“This man will carry the full weight of Peter’s office. His burden will be unseen by many, but his soul will feel it every day.”
Although Catholics make up a small minority in Thailand, the pope’s election was followed closely by thousands.
The Apostolic Nunciature in Bangkok issued a brief message of welcome shortly after the announcement, and local parishes offered special Masses for the new Holy Father.
Pope Leo XIV was elected by 133 cardinal electors—around 80% of whom were appointed by Pope Francis—in the most internationally diverse conclave in Church history, representing 70 nations.
His election represents not only a geographical shift—being the first pope born in the United States—but also a continuation of Francis’s pastoral and missionary vision.
Pope Leo XIV inherits a Church in transformation, facing both internal reform and a global mission for peace and justice.
The pope’s inaugural Mass, traditionally held within a week of the election, is expected to draw political and religious leaders from around the world to Rome.
