May 8, 2025 - Politics & Policy
Pope Leo XIV
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Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was elected as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church — the first-ever American pope.
- "Peace be with you all," Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — said as he addressed the crowd gathered outside St. Peter's Basilica today.
🌎 Prevost was born in Chicago but has spent much of his life abroad. He studied in Rome, worked for 20 years in Peru and has served in a senior role in Vatican City since Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2023.
- He's known for his quiet demeanor and alignment with Francis' focus on social justice, Reuters reports.
💬 World leaders congratulated the new pope.
- "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope," President Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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!"
