The Catholic Church Has Elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope

Prevost, who will take the name Leo XIV, was elected as the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
Share
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Andrew Medichini/AP
The Catholic Church Has Elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope
Copy

Live video feed from the Associated Press.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and led the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.

White smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney Thursday at 6:07 p.m. local time, signaling that a pontiff had been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

Read more updated news on the Associated Press.

After ICE agents “wrongfully” detained a high school intern at a Providence courthouse, the state’s highest-ranking judge said the legal system will consider making virtual hearings more accessible
Trinity Repertory Company’s 49th “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Richard and Sharon Jenkins, offers a traditional but delightful take on Charles Dickens’ classic tale
An exhibit explores the stories of the oldest continuously operating jail in the country, two classical concerts to choose from, folk music from the Faux Paws and “A Christmas Carol” is back at Trinity Rep
The state senator shares his takeaways from the Washington Bridge hearing and weighs in on gun policy, health care strains, and the push for a new medical school at URI
A group of nonprofits from Rhode Island found themselves at the heart of a dispute over food aid that reached all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court