Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, becoming the first pope from the United States and defying a longstanding belief that church leaders would never select a pope from a global superpower that already has considerable influence in world affairs.

The temporary chimney atop the Sistine Chapel released a plume of white smoke on Thursday, signaling that the 133 cardinals working inside had reached a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church.