Illinois Native Becomes First American Pope

A new pope has been elected.

For the first time in history, the college of cardinals has selected an American pope, specifically a man from the Midwest. Cardinal Robert Prevost has been chosen to serve as the new pope after Pope Francis.

Cardinal Prevost had to get at least two-thirds of the vote from cardinals under the age of 80. He is from Chicago and was in the papabile (the group of pope frontrunners) and was considered a reach to take on the papacy because he is 69, on the younger side for a pope. Before being selected as the new pope, Prevost was the prefect for the Vatican's dicastery for bishops (he vets nominations for bishops around the world)

What To Know: Illinois Native Among Front-Runners To Become New Pope

Former Cardinal Prevost has selected the name Leo (the 14th) to be his papal name.

Prevost graduated from Villanova University. In 2014, the late Pope Francis sent him to run the diocese in Chiclayo, Peru (where Prevost had worked previously as a missionary and archbishop) which he did until 2023.

The conclave decided to elect Prevost (now Pope Leo) after the 2nd day of conclave, on the 4th ballot. Today, the new pope, after accepting his appointment as such, made his first blessing as pope on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

What's next? Now, the conclave ends. A ceremonial mass will be held in about a week to install the new pope, either in St. Peter's Square or the basilica.