Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost – now known as Pope Leo XIV — is the first pope from the United States. The 69-year-old from Chicago is known as a leader with global experience. He spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments.

The Catholic Church made history Thursday with the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff. The moment carried special meaning for Catholics in the Bay Area and across the United States, as white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling an announcement that quickly spread across the globe.