Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has become the first American Pope.
Newsone Nigeria reports that the Catholic Church has elected Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American-born cleric and seasoned Vatican official, as the new Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.
The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, May 8, 2025, following the traditional white smoke signaling the successful conclusion of the papal conclave.
Prevost, 69, becomes the first American-born Pope in the Church’s two-thousand-year history, marking a significant moment for Catholics in the United States and around the world.
He succeeds Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Order of St. Augustine and is widely respected for his quiet but firm leadership style, deep theological grounding, and global pastoral experience.
Robert Prevost was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, overseeing the selection and supervision of bishops around the world.
