Habemus papam — and he’s from Chicago!

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope on Thursday — the first American in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

The 69-year-old took the name Pope Leo XIV.

“Peace be with you all,” were his first words to the world — as crowds in the packed St. Peter’s Square below erupted applause, cheers, tears and chants of “Leo! Leo! Leo!”

Pope Leo was visibly emotional as he greeted the crowds.

In his message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the new pontiff repeated the word “peace” nine times, and vowed, “God loves us, all of us. Evil will not prevail.”

Pope Leo added: “We have to look together how to be a missionary church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone like — this square — open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”

He addressed the crowd in both Italian and Spanish — but not English — and gave special mention to his former diocese in Peru, where he spent much of his ministry.

He spoke at length about the striving for the world “to be a single people,” mentioning several times the need for peace by reaching across borders, and the importance of being “close to those who are suffering.”

Leo also offered “thanks to Pope Francis,” saying that even in his last days the late pope’s faltering voice echoed around the world.

The election of an American to be the 267th pontiff gives the United States — with an estimated 85 million Catholics — enormous new visibility in the Holy See.

The 133 cardinals required just four ballots and little over 24 hours in the conclave to make their decision. His election means Pope Leo won over at least two-thirds of the holy-men — most of whom were appointed by the late Pope Francis.

Americans were elated to finally have a pope from their country — one from the South Side of Chicago who graduated from Villanova University outside Philadelphia, no less.

“It makes me feel more connected to the Vatican I would say,” said 27-year-old New York City accountant Jackie Johnson, who rushed from work to St. Patrick’s Cathedral the moment she heard news of the white smoke. “Having a Pope in there is just next level.”

“I hope he brings the Catholic Church back to young people,” she said. “Going to Mass on Sundays, not a lot of young people my age do, so I hope he encourages more younger people to get involved with the church.”

Lauren Smith, 25, also ran from her office to the cathedral shouting “New pope!” when the smoke appeared.

“I think it’s amazing that he’s from the US,” Smith said. “I hope that this new pope is the same way as Pope Francis. I think Francis was one of the first popes I’ve seen in my lifetime — I haven’t seen too many — that was for the people 100%. So I hope that this new Pope can continue on that tradition.”

And Brian Kerwin – who graduated from Villanova with Prevost in 1977, but didn’t know him – hopes the new pope would bring unity to the world.

“I’m hoping particularly as an American that he brings people together rather than pushing people apart, that he preaches the gospel and it’s all about love not hate,” the 69-year-old said.

Check here for live updates on Pope Leo XIV, the newly chosen pontiff

Archbishop George L. Thomas, of the Archdiocese in Las Vegas, recounted meeting Prevost in Rome, noting that “his dress and demeanor were more indicative of a parish priest who would come to offer his congratulations [than being] a man who had considerable influence and influence during the Pope Francis administration.”

“Pope Leo will bring a disarming humility to the table right away, and a vulnerability that has the capacity for opening doors, and I think it’d be very difficult to to criticize,” Thomas added.

Sister Margaret Obrovac, in Boston, who traveled to Belgium with Prevost and Pope Francis, said she believes the new pope is a “listener” who will work to unite the church.

Prevost — who studied mathematics at Villanova — was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and quickly took the reins of the Vatican’s bishop vetting and appointment process, which gave him a unique standing among the cardinals who were present for the conclave.

Before that, he worked in Peru, moving there full-time in 1985 when he was 30 years old, and serving as a pastor and teacher at a Trujillo seminary for 10 years.

In the South American country, he focused much of his efforts on working with marginalized communities, and was appointed bishop of the Chiclayo Diocese by Francis in 2014. He became a Peruvian citizen in 2015.

After being called to serve in the Vatican in 2023, Prevost helped oversee the rollout of many of Francis’ more progressive reforms — notably playing a part in allowing women to vote on bishop selections.

Prevost is generally known for a more reserved demeanor than Francis had, but is still adept at making himself known among peers and faithful followers.

The idea of an American pope had generally been dismissed by Vatican watchers because of the prominence the country already has on the geopolitical stage, but Pope Leo’s close ties to Peru likely swayed many of the cardinals into coming to the historic decision.

He beat out perceived front-runners from Italy as well as Africa and Southeast Asia, where the church is growing at a much faster pace.

White smoke began pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney around 6 p.m. local time, signaling the College of Cardinals had chosen a successor to Pope Francis.

Before making his appearance around 7 p.m., Pope Leo donned traditional white papal vestments in the Room of Tears — a small space next to the Sistine Chapel that supposedly got its name from the emotion felt by new popes in the first moments after their selection.

His appointment comes just over three weeks after Pope Francis, 88, died on April 21 after a lengthy bout with respiratory illness culminating in a stroke and heart failure.

This vote was relatively speedy, though not unprecedented for modern times — with the last three popes all having been selected on the second day of conclave.

— With additional reporting by Mark Kellner and Georgett Roberts