Cardinal Robert Prevost Chosen As First American Pope

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new pope of the Catholic Church on Thursday afternoon.

Prevost will take the name Pope Leo XIV.

Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago and is the first American pope and the Church’s 267th pope. He will lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Prevost served for many years in Peru and became Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru for eight years until 2023, when he was made a cardinal.

He appeared visibly emotional as he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

Habemus Papam! We have a Pope!

The Cardinals gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV. pic.twitter.com/7COawsKvWu

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025

I announce to you a great joy;
we have a Pope:
The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord,
Lord Robert Francis
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Prevost
who has taken the name Leo XIV.

Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announces that the Cardinals have elected Cardinal Robert… pic.twitter.com/u3lDDlk1L4

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025

President Trump offered a congratulatory message on Thursday as the announcement was made.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The election of the new pope comes less than three weeks after Pope Francis passed away, the day after Easter, after he was hospitalized with pneumonia.