An American is now leading the Roman Catholic Church and more than 2 billion Catholics around the world.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69 — a Villanova University graduate — was elected on the second day of the papal conclave at the Vatican, as announced just after 7 p.m. Rome time Thursday. Nearly an hour earlier, white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave, signaling that cardinals had reached a majority vote to select a successor to Pope Francis.