On May 8, 2025, the Catholic Church elected its new Pope, Leo XIV. This was a historic event because Leo XIV, whose real name is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is from Chicago, United States. He is the first American Pope of the Catholic Church.
Who is the new Pope and where is he from?
The name of the new Pope is Leo XIV. He was born in Chicago, USA. His real name is Robert Francis Prevost, and he was a cardinal. After the death of Pope Francis, he was elected the new leader of the Catholic Church. Leo XIV spent a large part of his life as a missionary in peru, where he served the poor and marginalized people. He is also a citizen of peru and was heading an important office for bishop appointments in the Vatican since 2023.
How was the new Pope elected?
The Pope is elected through a special process called the conclave. This process began on 7 May 2025. Cardinals from around the world, who are high-ranking officials of the Catholic Church, take part in the conclave. This time 135 cardinals from 70 countries participated in the conclave.
The conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, where cardinals cast a secret ballot. At least two-thirds of the vote is required to elect a new pope. Voting continues until a cardinal achieves this majority. On May 8, after the fourth ballot, white smoke came out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the new pope had been elected. After this, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was declared Pope Leo XIV.
What is the significance of the Vatican for Catholics?
The Vatican is a spiritual symbol for Catholicism. It is the headquarters of the Catholic Church and the residence of the Pope. The Vatican is seen as the successor of St. Peter, who is considered the first disciple of Jesus Christ. It directs the church's policies not only on religious, but also on social and global issues. The Vatican has sacred sites such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, which are very important for Catholics.
What is the Catholic population in the world?
Catholics make up 15.9% of the world's total population. This makes them the largest community among all branches of Christianity. There are about 1.4 billion Catholics in the world. This number is spread across regions such as Latin America, Africa, europe and Asia. The Catholic Church is also active globally in the field of education, health and charity.
Catholic population and other Christian denominations in India
About 37% of the total population of the Christian community in india is Catholic. This figure is based on data from the Pew Research Center. Other major Christian denominations in india include:
Baptists: 17.9%
Presbyterians: 9.5%
Other denominations: 24.3%
Non-denominational Christians: 10%
This shows that Catholics are the largest group of Christians in india, but other denominations are also significant.
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