Chicago native Robert Prevost has been elected pope, becoming the first U.S.-born pontiff in a historic move that defies centuries of Vatican tradition.

Taking the name Leo XIV, the American was elected to be the 267th pontiff and spiritual leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago has been elected Pope Leo XIV, bringing pride and excitement to the city.

On the second day of the conclave at the Vatican, the cardinal electors chose Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope, Leo XIV.

Patrick Feltz, 28, of Villa Park, sports his homemade pope hat while waiting to enter Rate Field in Chicago for a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Miami Marlins on May 10, 2025. It took Feltz 15 minutes to make the pope hat by following instructions from a Youtube video. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

The Catholic religious order's Chicago-based province released a statement about Robert Prevost, who this week became Pope Leo XIV, saying he was "always seeking to protect the innocent and offer healing to victims,

Six weeks before American Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the activist group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) filed a complaint against him, along with other church leaders,

The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a topic of conversation almost as soon as the white smoke emerged from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.