“Peace be with all of you” 267^th pontiff, Robert Prevost, known as Pope Leo XIV, tells huge crowds gathered at the Vatican after becoming the first American pontiff to be elected leader of Catholic Church. Prevost, 69, Chicago-born, seen as a reformer and worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before being made an archbishop there. 113 cardinals gathered in the Vatican elected Prevost as the new leader of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV’s choice of name signals a commitment to social justice which is very much in line with the late Pope Francis’ global ministry. Peruvians were elated as Pope Leo XIV is a dual citizen of the United States and Peru, which made him first Pope from each country.

Tradition holds that black smoke indicates the cardinals have not yet agreed on a new leader, while white smoke signals that a new Pope has been elected. The tradition of cardinals burning their ballot papers to maintain secrecy dates back to the 15^th century. But not until the 18^th century when a chimney was installed in the Sistine Chapel to protect Michelangelo’s frescoes from soot -that the resulting smoke became visible to anyone outside the chapel. By the 19^th century it had become customary to use smoke deliberately. If smoke was seen, it meant no Pope had been elected, when no smoke indicated a successful election. Since this lacked clarity and often caused confusion. The Vatican eventually sought to clarify matters by formalising the practice of fumata near (black smoke) and fumata Bianca ( white smoke).  Initially, damp straw and tar were added to the burning ballots.