By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News

One day, 27 minutes.

That’s how long the papal conclave took to elect the newest leader of the Catholic Church to select the new leader of the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

Cheers erupted inside St. Peter’s Square as the white smoke poured from the chimney. ‘Viva il papa!’ Yelled some in attendance. Accompanying the billowing of smoke were the grand bells of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The new Pope had to secure at least 89 votes of the 133 Cardinals present in the conclave. The newly elected Pope will be announced later today after a cardinal proclaims ‘habemus papem,’ Latin for ‘We have a new pope.’ The cardinal will then read the birth name of the Pope before announcing his selected name.

Following this, the Pope will make his first public appearance and provide a blessing from the Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m.

Cardinal Robert Provost has been named the newest leader of the Catholic Church. He is the first American-born Pope in the church’s 2000-year history, and he has taken the name of Leo XIV. 

The first words the newly elected Pope said as he addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square were,” Peace be with you all. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts to reach your families to all people everywhere to all the earth: peace be with you.”

Born in Chicago, Provost was appointed as the Prevost as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023. This move in the eyes of many helped elevate his papal candidacy. According to the National Catholic Reporter,” Prevost brings to the table pastoral experience in the peripheries with expertise in navigating the complexities of the church’s central governance.”

In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump congratulated the newly elected Pope, “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

At age 69, Provost is the youngest elected Pope since Pope John Paul II in 1978, who at the time of election was 58.

This story is breaking, and will be updated as updates become available.