Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church on Thursday after a conclave that lasted less than 24 hours, taking the regnal name Pope Leo XIV.
Hailing from Chicago, Leo is the first American pontiff in the history of the Church. He attended Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics in 1977, before obtaining a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982.
Leo, an Augustinian, spent much of his career as a priest in Peru, where he served as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 until 2023. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Leo prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In 2024, Francis made him a cardinal.
White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel at 12:07 EDT on Thursday. The bells of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart rang in celebration after the emergence of the white smoke and again after Leo was officially announced as pope.
In a statement, University President Fr. Robert Dowd offered words of celebration for the election of the new pope.
“The Notre Dame community joins with the Church worldwide in giving thanks and rejoicing in the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope,” Dowd said. “A leader of vision, humility and energy, he has inspired us with his compassion, generosity and love for the people of God.”
Dowd also offered his prayers for the new pope.
“As he begins his pontificate, we pray that Pope Leo will always be blessed with the wisdom, courage and fortitude he will need,” he said.
Saint Mary’s College celebrated the announcement of Leo’s pontificate on Thursday in an Instagram post.
“With joyful hearts, the Saint Mary's community warmly welcomes Pope Leo XIV. As the first American pope, we join the global Church in celebration and prayer for this historic moment,“ the post read.
