Robert Prevost becomes first American pope and takes name Leo XIV – POLITICO

VATICAN CITY — American Robert Prevost was announced Thursday as the new pope, taking the papal name Leo XIV.

He will be the first American pope. Leo waved to the crowd assembled in St. Peter’s Square, greeting them with the words “Peace be with all of you.”

Born in Chicago, to a French father, the 69-year-old has spent much of his clerical life abroad in Peru, and is fluent in Spanish and Italian. He was expected to garner support from Latin American and U.S. cardinals. He has been president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023, the same year he became a cardinal.