Meet new leader of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints, also known as Mormon, has a new leader.

Russell M. Nelson has been officially named as the church’s 17th president. This comes after the recent burial of his predecessor, Thomas Monson, who died on Jan. 2, 2018.

The news was announced during a live broadcast from the Salt Lake Temple in Utah on Tuesday, January 16, 2018.

Huffington Post reports that this is the first time in the 187-year-old church’s history that the announcement of a new president has been streamed live in 29 languages, across the world.

This announcement also makes the 93-year-old the second-oldest person to become president of the Mormon church.

ALSO READ: 5 interesting things you probably don't know about Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Reactions to new leader

In an interview with reporters at a news conference, Nelson said the news was “sacred and humbling.”

He added: “This is [Christ’s] church and we are his servants. I know them, love them and pledge to serve them and you with every remaining breath of my life.”

Paying tribute to his predecessor, he said, “No words can do justice to the magnitude and magnificence of his life.”

Members of the Mormon church have taken to social media to share their congratulations. Here they are below;

[No available link text]

Who is this new leader?

Nelson took over the leadership of the church after his predecessor’s death.

Now, he has been declared the official president after his ordination during a religious ceremony on Sunday, January 14, 2018.

[No available link text]

Prior to this appointment, he used to be known as a world-renowned heart surgeon who was president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and of the Utah State Medical Association.

During that time, KUER’s Lee Hale reports that Nelson “performed the first open heart surgery in the state of Utah and pioneered advancements for coronary artery disease.”

Nelson is believed to be healthy and up to this new challenge. He is married to Wendy L. Watson Nelson.

This union has been blessed with 9 daughters and 116 great-grandchildren.