The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, commanded the attention of the entire world. There was speculation that the media circus surrounding the pope’s debut on Thursday — broadcast live to every nation in the world — would simmer down and dissipate from secular society’s attention after the perennial

The 2025 papal conclave at the Vatican ended with the election of American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. Here's what to know about him.

Over the course of a day and a half, the more than 130 members of the College of Cardinals had come to a decision on who should lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. On May 8, 2025, they elected Cardinal Robert Prevost, who chose the name Leo XIV – becoming the first pope from the United States.