who was the new pope

The new pope is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who took the papal name Pope Leo XIV. He became the 267th pope and is the first pope of American nationality. Born in Chicago in 1955, he also holds Peruvian citizenship and has spent much of his career serving in South America, including as bishop in Chiclayo, Peru. His election followed the death of Pope Francis in late April 2025, and he was elected after a conclave of 133 cardinals in Rome. Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance on May 8, 2025, from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he paid tribute to Pope Francis and called for peace and unity within the Church and the world