The conclaves are notoriously unpredictable and once again the cardinal’s Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope took many by surprise.

Newly elected Pope Leo IV won the consensus of 133 cardinal electors after just four votes – a quick process for such a diverse body of cardinals.

Although his name had circulated among some Vatican observers, other cardinals had emerged as clear front-runners, including Pietro Parolin – the Vatican’s number two who would be the first Italian in nearly 50 years to become pontiff – or Louis Tangle, a Filipino cardinal who wanted to become the first Asian pope.

Instead, he was the first North American to win the highly secretive process.

So what happened behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel?

By midday Thursday, Cardinal Parolin was ahead, garnering between 45 and 55 votes, sources say.

A significant number, but far short of the 89 votes needed for a two-thirds majority.

At this point, Cardinal Prevost had between 34 and 44 votes.

But as the Italian struggled to increase his support during the first three rounds of voting, he dropped out of the race, backing Prevost instead, according to Sky News.

An infighting between Luis Tangle and Pamplo Virgilio David – both cardinals who hail from Asia – cancelled each other out.

And a candidate from Africa – the most conservative sector of the church – was never likely for a conclave where the vast majority of cardinals had been appointed by Francis, a progressive pontiff.

An American pope has long been considered highly unlikely, given the geopolitical power of the United States.

But Cardinal Prevost has managed to draw from all the groups that make up the electorate: moderate US cardinals, South American cardinals, and many European cardinals have rallied around him.

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that Prevost“certainly attracted bipartisan preferences, both ideologically and geographically.”

“In the conclave he was the least American of the Americans: Born in Chicago, he lived 20 years in Peru,”the newspaper reported.

He lived in Peru for over 20 years, but he lived in the United States for over 20 years.
It added: “As a man accustomed to teamwork, Prevost seemed to many the right man to be the new pope.”