Leo XIV elected as first American pope

The Vatican on Thursday announced the election of the 267th pope, with Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States chosen by the conclave of 133 cardinals to succeed Pope Francis.

Prevost, a native of the United States, becomes the first American to ascend to the papacy and will serve as the spiritual leader of the world’s estimated 1.3 billion Catholics.

He has taken the papal name Leo XIV.