An American is now leading the Roman Catholic Church and more than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, of Chicago was elected on the second day of the papal conclave at the Vatican, as announced just after 7 p.m. Rome time Thursday. Nearly an hour earlier, white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave, signaling that cardinals had reached a majority vote to select a successor to Pope Francis. It was one of the quickest conclave in recent memory.
The introduction was preceded with an announcement featuring the Latin phrase Habemus papam (We have a pope), followed by the new pontiff’s identity and the name he has taken for his papacy. Then came the stunning announcement of Prevost’s election, the first American ever to occupy the holy see, and that the new pontiff took the name Leo XIV.
Moments later, the newly minted Pope Leo XIV approached the main balcony of St. Peter’s Square to address the thousands of jubilant people who gathered for the announcement. He wore the regal red vestments that Pope Francis notably declined to wear upon his election in 2013.
In his first remarks, Pope Leo paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, thanked the cardinals for electing him and stressed the importance of being charitable as a united church, while offering a solemn blessing to the entire world.
Leo also said he envisioned the Catholic Church as an entity that “builds bridges with dialogue.”
“Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel,” he said.
“We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love,” Pope Leo continued.
Prevost served as the Archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru, before being appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 to lead the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, the office responsible for overseeing the appointment of bishops worldwide. Pope Francis made Prevost Cardinal in the Consistory in 2024 and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
He became a Peruvian citizen in 2015 after serving there as a missionary and then as an archbishop. He is known for his deep ties to Latin America and his leadership within the Augustinian order.
While speaking in Spanish, he addressed his diocese in Peru, “a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.”
Reacting to Pope Leo being the first American-born pope, President Donald Trump said it was “a great honor for our country.”
“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,” Trump posted. “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Celebrating the historic election, Mayor Eric Adams called it “a historic day for Catholics across America and the entire world.”
“With the selection of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the first American in history to serve as Pope, the Vatican has uplifted the voices of Catholics across the five boroughs and our entire country,” said Adams. “New York City is a global city, bringing together Catholics from all around the world, and I know that given his international service across the globe, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will bring an inclusive perspective to the papacy.”
Leo’s election formally concluded an ancient ritual held behind closed doors to choose the new Bishop of Rome saw 133 cardinals locked into the Sistine Chapel to make the secretive, prayerful deliberation. Only cardinals under 80 could vote in the conclave that elects a new pope — a rule established in 1970 by Pope Paul VI to encourage the selection of younger, forward-looking candidates.
At the time of Pope Francis’ death, there were 252 members of the College of Cardinals. 135 were eligible to vote in the conclave, but two dropped out due to illness.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, leader of the Archdiocese of New York, was part of the conclave Thursday.
What’s in a name?
The last pontiff to take the same name, Pope Leo XIII, reigned over the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903 and was regarded for his legacy on social justice.
Kevin Ahern, a professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan University, told amNewYork Pope Leo XIV’s name choice could be interpreted as a nod to both tradition and progress.
“Pope Leo XIII, who reigned until 1903, is remembered for championing Catholic social teaching and aligning the Church with the working poor,” he said. “But he is also known for his teachings on Thomism. I think both progressives and traditionalists can find something they like in Pope Leo XIII, and so this was an interesting choice of a name.”
Asked if Pope Leo XIV is likely to continue Pope Francis’ legacy, Ahern said the signs generally point to continuity.
“He used the word ‘synodality,’ one of Francis’ major priorities – reforming the internal functions of the church. He emphasized openness, peace, and service to the poor. He even said the Church should be ‘open like St. Peter’s Square,’” Ahern said.
Looking ahead, Ahern said the public should expect a formal installation ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, and eventually the pope will take possession of his cathedral — the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
“His first international trip will also say a lot. Francis went to Lampedusa, signaling solidarity with migrants. Where Leo XIV goes will matter,” he said.
Possible tension with Trump?
While much of the attention has focused on Pope Leo XIV’s U.S. origins, Ahern noted the new pope signaled his deeper connection to Latin America.
Prior to the conclave there had been speculation that the cardinals would shy away from selecting an American cardinal due to the cultural and economic influence already wielded by the US, but Ahern says Cardinal Prevost would be considered the “least American of the American candidates.”
“In his opening blessing, he spoke in Italian, then in Spanish about his home diocese in Peru — and didn’t use English,” he said. “That was very telling. He was certainly nodding to the fact that he feels at home in Peru.”
Like Pope Francis, the newly elected Pope was previously critical of Vice President JD Vance for citing Catholic theology to say we should love American citizens before immigrants, but Ahern believes the cardinals would have been aware of his criticisms of the Trump administration’s migrant policy.
“There’s potentially a space of tension between him and the US,” Ahern added.
For New Yorkers, Ahern noted two things to watch: whether the pope accepts an invitation to the United Nations summit in September, and who he appoints as the next Archbishop of New York.
Cardinal Dolan submitted his resignation in February after reaching retirement age. Ahern noted that Pope Leo XIV, at 69, is relatively young by modern standards.
“If they want to pick someone older, it would indicate they might want a caretaker Pope, a transitional figure,” he said.” The fact that they picked him, under 70, indicates that they were not looking for a transitional figure, but for someone for a longer duration.”
