The Vatican announced the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church, shortly after white smoke began pouring from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday.

Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost’s election as pope to the thousands of faithful who descended on St. Peter’s Square after the 133 voting cardinals deliberated in the Sistine Chapel for roughly 24 hours.

Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica wearing the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Pope Francis had chosen not to wear after his election in 2013.

His first words as pope were “Peace be with you,” which he said in Italian, and delivered a message to the faithful building bridges, peace and dialogue “without fear.” Prevost then switched to Spanish to recall his years as a missionary and later archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru. He did not deliver any words in English.

LIVE UPDATES: CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST ANNOUNCED AS FIRST AMERICAN POPE, TAKING NAME LEO XIV

Prevost succeeds the late Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on April 21 following health challenges.

Prevost, whose views are close to those that Francis held, thanked his predecessor in his remarks.

Francis brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost had a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

Prevost was born on Sept. 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a citizen of Peru, where he lived for years as a missionary and later as an archbishop.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977 before taking his solemn vows and studying theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in 1982.

This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.