Catholic Church Elects First American Pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost Becomes Leo XIV

White smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, May 8, 2025, signaling the election of the Catholic Church’s 267th pontiff. The conclave of cardinals has chosen American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, who will assume the papal name Leo XIV.

This historic decision marks the first time a U.S. citizen has ascended to the