Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the papal name Leo XIV and becoming the first American in history to assume the papacy. The 69-year-old Chicago native was chosen on the second day of the conclave after multiple rounds of voting by 133 cardinals, the largest such gathering ever assembled. White smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney shortly after noon, signaling to the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square that the church’s 1.4 billion followers worldwide had a new spiritual leader.
The new pontiff, a member of the Order of St. Augustine, brings extensive international experience to the papacy despite his American roots. Before his election, Cardinal Prevost served for two decades in Peru, where he became a bishop and naturalized citizen while working as a missionary, parish priest, and teacher. A polyglot fluent in Spanish and Italian, he previously led his international religious order and most recently held one of the Vatican’s most influential positions managing bishops globally. The conclave’s relatively quick conclusion surprised Vatican observers who had considered an American pope a longshot, particularly given the political divisions in USA today and concerns about American influence in global affairs.
President Donald Trump quickly congratulated the new pope on Truth Social, writing: “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.” In Chicago, Catholics offered prayers for USA’s first pontiff, with many expressing hope that his leadership would strengthen diplomatic relations between the Vatican and international partners. Father William Lego, who knew the new pope as a young seminarian, told reporters: “They picked a good man. He always had that sense of being conscious of the poor and trying to help them.” At St. Peter’s Square, reactions were mixed as Americans waved USA flags while others contemplated the significance of an American pope during the Trump administration. Francesco Saverio Tiberi, an 18-year-old student from Rome, expressed hope that “an American pope can do something to help relations between Italy, Europe and America.”
Pope Leo XIV addressed the crowd in Italian and Spanish from the papal balcony, beginning with the words “Peace be with you.” He emphasized building bridges, promoting peace, and creating “a church that was synodal” that always sought to be “close to those who suffered.” The historic selection comes at a time when American Catholicism is experiencing renewed prominence, with Vice President JD Vance’s conversion to the faith and former President Biden having been the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy. As the first Augustinian pope, Leo XIV represents a departure from recent pontiffs, though observers noted his apparent commitment to continuing many aspects of Francis’ agenda while bringing his own reserved, discreet style to the papacy. His selection ends a period of papal leadership bouncing between continents – Poland, Germany, Argentina, and now the United States – for nearly 50 years, with USA today marking a historic milestone in Catholic Church leadership.
(CP) VATICAN CITY – Reported by Clara Beaumont.