Cardinal Robert Prevost becomes 1st American pope
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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.
Pope Leo XIV has plenty to say about his home country. The first-ever American pope was elected to lead the Catholic church on May 8. On Monday, May 12, the Chicago-born pontiff — previously known as Cardinal Robert Prevost — made an appearance at the Vatican where he offered a cryptic answer to one reporter’s question.