This American pope

NPR

Published May 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM EDT

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for the first time as pope.

The cardinals have elected a new pope: Robert Prevost, a cardinal born in Chicago. He has taken the name Leo XIV. He is the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church.

NPR's Scott Detrow has been in Rome all week. He talks through what we might expect from Pope Leo XIV with NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose, and former, longtime NPR Rome correspondent Sylvia Poggioli.

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