Robert Francis Prevost Elected as 1st American Pope, Will Take the Name Leo XIV

After a two-day conclave in Rome, Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. He took the name of Pope Leo XIV.

Born on Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope elected to lead the Roman Catholic Church, which has 1.4 billion members worldwide.

Per the Associated Press, Pope Leo XIV previously held a very powerful position within the church as the head of the bishops' office, which oversees and vets bishop nominations around the world. He was appointed to this position by the late Pope Francis in January 2023.

Prior to taking on this position in Rome, the New York Times reports that the new pontiff became a bishop in Peru, where he served for the past two decades and became a naturalized citizen.

Pope Leo XIV, like the late Pope Francis, has a strong commitment to serving and advocating for the poor and migrants. The New York Times notes, "It is unclear whether he will be as open to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics as Francis was. Although he has not said much recently, in a 2012 address to bishops, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel.' He cited the 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.'"