Former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was selected Thursday by the papal conclave to succeed Pope Francis and lead the Roman Catholic Church. The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV,

For centuries, the world has turned its gaze to the Vatican whenever white smoke rises above the Sistine Chapel. That puff of smoke means only one thing: the Catholic Church has a new leader.

Prevost, 69, was considered a contender for the papacy but was largely overlooked by many bettors and experts in favor of other cardinals, including Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Tagle.