We have a new pope. Watch and follow live below after his first papal address to the world, as we bring you reaction, updates and analysis.
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:15, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
“What greater honour could there be?”, Donald Trump has said on the election of the new Pope this evening.
“We were a little bit surprised, but very happy,” he said outside the White House.
The US leader previously hailed the election of the first ever American Pope on social media.
He said: “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated new pope Leo XIV on his election and expressed hope for the Vatican’s support for Kyiv’s efforts to secure justice and a lasting peace.
Here is what the Ukrainian leader has said this evening…
Our Europe producer Simone Baglivo, who was inside the Vatican press room when the white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney, has described what followed as the smoke billowed.
“The atmosphere was relaxed since everyone thought we were between the two votes and that no smoke was expected imminently,” he says.
“We were all looking at the big conference room screen showing the seagulls feeding their baby next to the chimney.
“Then, the smoke appeared and the press room erupted in surprise – while double-checking that was effectively white smoke – and joy.
“Everyone started rushing out to get to their positions and go live. It was quite a scene. Vatican press officials rushed to the square too.”
We have some footage to share from our producer Eleonora Chiarella, who is on the ground in St Peter’s Square.
She has caught the moment people cheered from St Peter’s Square as the new pope was revealed…
Pope Leo XIV was the first pope in history to read his opening speech. All his predecessors have given their first remarks without notes.
More impressively, he became the first pope ever to speak in two languages – Italian and Spanish – during his balcony speech (setting Latin aside, of course).
Here’s the full text of his balcony speech earlier:
Thank you. Brothers and sisters, dear brothers and sisters. This is the first greeting of Christ resurrected, the good pastor who gave life for the Lord.
And I would also like this greeting of peace to come into your hearts and join your families and join everyone, everyone. Whoever they are, all peoples and the whole earth, peace be with you.
This is the peace of Christ resurrected. It’s a peace that’s disarmed and disarming, humble, and will also persevere.
And it comes from God, God who loves all of us, unconditionally. And let us hear even the weak voices.
And Pope Francis, in fact, was always courageous, and he blessed Rome. The Pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing. God loves us. God loves all of you, and sin will not prevail.
We are all in the hands of God. And at the same time, without fear, let us be united, hands in hand, with God and amongst ourselves, let’s move forward.
Because we are the disciples of Christ. Christ preceded us. The world needs your light. Humanity necessitates, needs him, just as a bridge.
In order to be able to get to God and to reach God’s love. Help us, you must also help us and help one another to build bridges, build bridges through dialogue, through meetings, and we all must be a single people, always living in peace.
Thanks to Pope Francis. And I would also like to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church, always trying to find peace, justice, and always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ without fear.
And to proclaim Evangel and also to be missionaries.
I am a son of St. Augustine. In fact, I belong to the movement of St Augustine, and St Augustine said, ‘I am Christian with you’.
To that extent, we can all walk together. We can all work together towards that land. God has prepared us for.
And to the Church of Rome, I’d like to give you a special greeting.
Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges… establishes dialogues that are always open to receive on this piazza with open arms – to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.
I would just like, also, to say something in Spanish, just a few words.
And I particularly like… to say hello to my compatriots from Peru. It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.
So to all of you, brothers and sisters, of Rome, Italy, of the whole world, we need to be a church that is joined, a church that walks the path of peace, that’s always looking for charity, that is always looking to be close, especially to those that are suffering.
And today, it’s the day in which we pray to the Madonna of Pompeii. Our mother, Mary, always wants to walk along with us, to stay close to us and to help us, to help with her love and her intercession.
So I would like to pray with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole church. And for peace throughout the world.
And let’s ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.
So hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
To all the faithful here present, and to all those who receive his blessing through the radio, through television, and other technologies of communication. You can recognise him in the way recognised by the church.
Let us hope that he’s preserved for a long time and ensure peace to the church throughout the world.
Father Francesco Giordano says he was “jumping with joy” at the election of Pope Leo XIV, whom he has met many times.
“I’ve met him several times… and I’ve had a very good impression of him.”
“The first speech, also the name that he chose, Leo XIV, immediately brought to mind Leo XIII, who was the pope at the end of the 19th century,” who Father Giordano said wrote a “social doctrine” of the church.
Asked about the significance of Pope Leo being an American pope, Father Giordano said it is “very interesting”.
“We have a new American president – maybe that has something to do with it.
“(Pope Leo XIV) kept talking about building bridges and the issue of immigration that we’ve been discussing. And he’s lived in Latin America… we can’t not pay attention to that.”
St Peter’s Square is filled with celebration this evening following the election of a new pope.
Pope Leo XIV was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church.
He appeared on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica around 70 minutes after white smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel, signifying the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the Catholic Church.
The bells are ringing in St Peter’s Square following Pope Leo XIV’s address.
The American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru was elected the first US pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
The new pontiff is the 267th pope and went by the name Cardinal Robert Prevost prior to becoming the leader of the Catholic Church.
We’ve just heard from local police that there are 150,000 people gathered in St Peter’s Square to celebrate his election.
“It’s amazing to have an American,” says Father Robert Sirico.
Father Sirico, himself an American priest and head of the religions Acton Institute, added that as cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was “very international”.
“He was a missionary and he is a member of a religious order, so that’s significant – we’ve now had two popes in succession who are members of religious orders as opposed to diocesan priests.
“I understand that he’s fluent in probably five or six languages, and he just most recently served in the Congregation of Bishops.”
Asked about the name Leo – most recently adopted by Pope Leo XIII in 1878 – Father Sirico said the name is “significant”.
“He was really a theologian, a very deep thinker who taught about the importance of the family and the dignity of work – very significant historic figure.
“And if the intention of Pope Leo now is to continue that work, then it gives us an indication of his direction.”
Pope Leo XIV is continuing with his address to the crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square.
The US-born pope directs his attention to Rome and says he would like to give the city “a special greeting”.
“Together we must try to find out how to be a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogue and is open to receives everybody,” he says.
He then speaks in Spanish and says: “I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.
“It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.”
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free