Pope Leo XIV: Robert Prevost Becomes the First American Elected as Catholic Pontiff

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. Guglielmo Mangiapane | Reuters

Roman Catholic cardinals selected U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope on Thursday. Prevost chose the papal name Leo XIV. The Chicago native Prevost, who is the first American to be elected pope, was chosen on the second day of their conclave.

Prevost’s election was announced more than an hour after cardinals signaled his election with plumes of white smoke billowing from a chimney at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The prior pontiff, Pope Francis, died April 22 at age 88.

In recent Vatican conclaves, the new pope’s name was announced between 25 minutes and 66 minutes after white smoke was seen above the Sistine Chapel. White smoke was seen at about 12:07 p.m. ET.

The new pope is the 267th Roman Catholic pontiff, the spiritual leader of more than 1 billion Catholics worldwide. A huge crowd in St. Peter’s Square awaited the announcement of the pope’s identity.

Nuns react to the white smoke indicating that a new pope has been elected at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

“I saw the smoke, but I haven’t seen the pope,” President Donald Trump quipped to reporters when asked about the election.

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