In a landmark moment for the Catholic Church, white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave, signaling the election of a new pope—Robert Prevost of the United States, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
Prevost, 69, a native of Chicago, Illinois, becomes the first American ever to ascend to the papacy. A seasoned cleric with a distinguished global footprint, he spent decades as a missionary in South America and later served as bishop in Peru. Before his election, he held a key role at the Vatican overseeing the appointment of bishops worldwide.
His election marks a significant shift in the Church’s history, ushering in a new era with a pontiff from North America for the first time.