Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago, has been elected Pope Leo XIV, making history as the first American to lead the Catholic Church. The appointment came in 2023 following Pope Francis’s decision.

Prevost, 69, was considered a contender for the papacy but was largely overlooked by many bettors and experts in favor of other cardinals, including Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Tagle.

Former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States was selected Thursday by the papal conclave to succeed Pope Francis and lead the Roman Catholic Church. The new pontiff, who has taken the name Leo XIV,