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Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost is the new pope, the first ever from the United States.

He has chosen Leo XIV as his papal name to lead the Catholic church.

White smoke pouring out from the Sistine Chapel chimney in Vatican City signaled Thursday that Catholic cardinals had selected a new pope and the conclave finished on its second day.

This live blog has ended. Keep reading to catch up on what happened as the world got its first American pope.

What to know about Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV:

VP JD Vance offers congratulations to Pope Leo XIV after he's named new pontiff, old tweets resurface

By Nikki Mascali Roarty

Vice President JD Vance offered his congratulations to Pope Leo XIV — soon after the newly elected American pontiff's tweets boosting views that condemned the Trump administration’s policies resurfaced.

“Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!” the veep wrote on X Thursday.

Vice President JD Vance departs attend an event for Military Mothers, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington.
Vice President JD Vance departs attend an event for Military Mothers, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington. AP

Chicago-born Pope Leo, formally known as Robert Francis Prevost, 69, spent years sharing or retweeting colleagues’ opinions about Trump’s first and second terms in the Oval Office on his verified X account.

His final post before the Conclave elected him was an April 14 retweet from Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo, who blasted the president for joining forces with his Salvadoran counterpart, Nayib Bukele, to deport illegal migrants.

“As Trump & Bukele use Oval to [laugh emoji] Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident… once an undoc-ed Salvadorean himself, now-DC [auxiliary bishop] Evelio [Menjivar] asks, ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?'” the tweet reads.

He also shared a post from Palmo that called Trump’s ban on refugees from his first term in 2017 “a dark hour of US history.”

St. John's University president congratulates Villanova grad Pope Leo XIV on his election : 'Same church, different team.'

By Carly Ortiz-Lytle

St. John's University president, the Rev. Brian Shanley delivered a playful response to the election of the new pope, a Chicago-born Villanova grad.

"You know the phrase `Same church, different pew? `Same church, different team.'"

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, newly minted Pope Leo XIV, from his 1977 college yearbook at Villanova University.
Prevost earned a Bachelors of Science at Villanova university. Obtained by NY Post

St. John's considers Villanova a bitter rival in the Big East conference.

Shanley, who has been president of the university since 2021, added that he hoped the Catholic Church's new pontiff would bring "faith, unity, and hope to all."

Vatican gives unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at moments after Pope Leo XIV accepted papacy

By Carly Ortiz-Lytle

The Vatican delivered an unprecedented look at the moments after Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the College of Cardinals under the imposing ceilings of the Sistine Chapel.

After a prayer at the altar, Pope Leo XIV proceeds down the aisle to thunderous applause from his colleagues and proceeding into a room for private prayer on a prie-dieu. The new pope then embraced each of the 133 cardinal-electors who made him bishop of Rome.

Pope Leo XIV embraces each of the Cardinal electors just after he accepts his election to become the 267th Pope. pic.twitter.com/0cP28r7mam

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025

Born in Chicago, Leo XIV is the first-ever American pope.

After rising through the ranks of the Augustinian Order, Prevost was appointed an administrator at the Diocese of Chiclayo, and a year later made a bishop by Pope Francis.

Close allies, Prevost oversaw many of Francis' most radical reforms to the Catholic Church.

Obama reacts to fellow Chicagoan Robert Prevost becoming new pope

By Kaydi Pelletier

Former President Barack Obama took to X on Thursday afternoon to note the "historic day for the United States" with the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope.

"Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV," the former POTUS wrote on X.

"This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith."

Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 8, 2025

President Trump on first US pope, Leo XIV: 'A great honor'

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House on Thursday afternoon, shared his enthusiasm about the first pope from the USA.

"That's a great honor," he said. "I was watching it and they said, 'He's from America.' I said, 'That's great.'"

Here’s why American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost might have selected Pope Leo XIV as his papal name

Pope Leo XIV.

That’s the name Cardinal Robert Prevost opted to take on Thursday after becoming the first American pope elected in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

The 69-year-old’s chosen name — an apparent nod to Saint Leo the Great — was unveiled just moments before the new pontiff appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the tens of thousands of worshippers below.

New pope Robert Prevost's chosen name, Leo XIV, an apparent nod to Saint Leo the Great — was unveiled just moments before he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the tens of thousands of worshippers below. VATICAN MEDIA HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

For nearly 1,500 years, the leader of the Catholic Church has opted to change his name following his election.

READ MORE

Who is Robert Prevost? Meet Leo XIV, the first American pope

Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native who spent his career ministering in Peru, has been elected the new Pope, becoming the first American to be named pontiff in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.

Newly-ordained Rev. Robert Francis Prevost greets Pope John Paul II.
Newly-ordained Rev. Robert Francis Prevost greets Pope John Paul II. via St. Mary of the Assumption Parish

The 69-year-old will become Leo XIV as he succeeds the late Pope Francis, who brought the Peruvian-American to the Vatican back in 2023 to head the office of bishops.

The globe-trotting Prevost has spent years leading the faithful in Chicago, Peru and Italy, with the American now in charge of overseeing the church’s flock of more than 1.4 billion people.

READ MORE

American flags flying in Vatican City as people cheer Pope Leo XIV

By Sarah Ng

Pope Leo XIV is making history as the first American-born pontiff.

Those in the crowd outside St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City are celebrating the occasion, waving American flags while cheering for the former Cardinal Robert Prevost.

Faithful react to the announcement that U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as new pope, with the name Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.
Faithful react to the announcement that US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected by the conclave as new pope. REUTERS
Faithful hold an American flag and a rosary following the election of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
An American flag and a rosary are held up following the election of Pope Leo XIV. AP
People react as newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.
People react as newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. REUTERS
A nun holds a US flag during the speech of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
A nun holds a US flag during the speech of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. AP
People holding a U.S. flag react as newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.
People holding a U.S. flag cheer as newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. REUTERS
People holding American flag cheer after new pope elected
People holding an American flag cheer after the new pope was elected.
People react with a US flag at St Peter's Square as the cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025.
People react with a US flag at St Peter's Square as the cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave. AFP via Getty Images

Chicago priest reveals to churchgoers that Cardinal Robert Prevost, one of their own, is now Pope Leo XIV

By Kaydi Pelletier

The Archdiocese of Chicago, where Robert Prevost aka the new Pope Leo XIV was born, shared video of one of its priests announcing that one of their own was picked to lead the Catholic church:

(Amid all the excitement, the archdiocese did make a typo — he's Leo XIV.)

Gathering crowd on St. Patrick's Cathedral steps shocked and awed as Cardinal Robert Prevost revealed as first American pope

By Kaydi Pelletier

A gathering crowd on St. Patrick's Cathedral in midtown Manhattan was shocked and awed as Cardinal Robert Prevost was revealed as the first pope from the United States.

people on steps of st patrick's cathedral
A woman gasped as Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost was revealed Thursday as the new pope, the first from the United States. Robert Miller
people on steps of st patrick's cathedral
Crowds are gathering outside the famed church. Robert Miller
people on steps of st patrick's cathedral
The mood is joyful in New York City as people celebrate the new pontiff, who has chosen the name Leo XIV. Robert Miller
people on steps of st patrick's cathedral
These two may be at odds over the Yankees vs. Mets, but are in agreement over their excitement for the new pope. Robert Miller

Pope Leo XIV addressing the world for the first time

By Kaydi Pelletier

Newly-minted Pope Leo XIV is speaking to the world for the first time, from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. Robert Francis Prevost was on Thursday elected the first pope from the United States, the Vatican announced. A moderate who was close to Pope Francis and spent years as a missionary in Peru, he becomes the Catholic Church's 267th pontiff, taking the papal name Leo XIV. (
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd for the first time, after the cardinals ended the conclave. He becomes the Catholic Church's 267th pontiff. AFP via Getty Images
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S. appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S. appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. REUTERS
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost (L) gestures on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025.
Pope Leo XIV gestures on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica. AFP via Getty Images
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.
Pope Leo XIV waves from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. REUTERS

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