Who is Pope Leo XIV, the first US pontiff? | Religion News

The white smoke has billowed, and the Catholic church has a new pope – and he’s American.

Cardinals at the Vatican elected the Chicago-born Robert Prevost on Thursday to lead the church, succeeding Pope Francis, who died last month.

Prevost took the name Leo XIV as he became the first pontiff from the United States.

“Peace be with you,” were his first words as pope.

Here is a look at the new pope and his journey from the US Midwest to the top of the church of 1.4 billion people.

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