Welcome to the News Hour. A new Pope has been elected, and in a major surprise, an American has been chosen for the first time.

Robert Francis Prevost will now be known as Pope Leo the 14th. In his first remarks as the leader of more than one billion Roman Catholics around the world,

the Pope spoke of peace and building bridges to a crowd in St. Peter Square.

In Rome, a wave of emotion as the newly elected Pope emerged from the balcony of the Vatican.

The new Pope's first words, peace be with all of you.

After two days of voting, white smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel,

and the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out,

announcing the election of Cardinal Robert Provost as the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, choosing to take

the name Pope Leo the 14th.

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.

The 69-year-old is the first American-born Pope. Born in Chicago, he graduated from

Villanova University and would go on to live in Peru

where he became a bishop and in 2015 a naturalized citizen. Pope Leo, who speaks multiple

languages, was considered a close confidant of Pope Francis.

This is the peace of the risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming peace.

Humble and persevering, it comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally.

We will keep in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis.

Before being named Pope today, he held one of the most influential Vatican

posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally.

...