Following two days of conclave and anticipation in Rome, tributes from around the globe are pouring in after Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was selected as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Leo holds nationality in both the U.S. and Peru, making him the first American to be named pontiff.
"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement. "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. 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!"
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White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signaling the 69-year-old was chosen on the second day of the papal conclave, after 133 cardinal electors reached the required two-thirds majority — at least 89 votes.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Leo's selection as a moment of "profound significance" for the Roman Catholic Church.
"The papacy carries a sacred and solemn responsibility," he said in a statement. "Jeanette and I are united in prayer for His Holiness, may the Holy Spirit impart wisdom, strength, and grace as he shepherds the Church. The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff."
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House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi called it a moment of joy to learn Leo was elected by one of the "largest and most diverse conclaves ever" to lead more than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
"Let us thank God for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and for this vision of unity," she said in a statement. "All of us hope and pray for the success of His Holiness and his vision for the Church."
Meanwhile, it wasn't just American leaders celebrating the papal election. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also congratulated Leo and wished him "wisdom, inspiration, and strength — both spiritual and physical — in carrying out his noble mission," while also encouraging continued support from the Vatican for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
"Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians," Zelenskyy said in a statement. "At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace."
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Leo succeeds Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88. He is known for holding views similar to those of his predecessor, who elevated him to the role of cardinal in 2023.
He joined the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and took his solemn vows in 1981. After studying in Rome, he spent many years in Peru as a missionary and later served as regional superior of the Augustinian order there.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Villanova University, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
