Chicago Mayor Reacts to the Pope Leo XIV Announcement
More than 130 cardinals deliberated for hours over the last two days, and a new Pope has been elected. Pope Leo XIV emerged from the Vatican to greet church members, standing over them as the 267th leader of the Catholic church.
The new Pope's election marks a historic moment, as he is the first American-born Pope in history.
Leo XIV was born as Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. The mayor of the city reacted to his election on Thursday via social media.
"Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!," said Mayor Brandon Johnson on X.
Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon. https://t.co/CBnXVjNhbJ
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) May 8, 2025
"Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon."
Leo XIV was born in Chicago, but he has ties to another major American city. The new Pope earned a Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Philadelphia, one of the most prestigious Catholic institutions in the country.
Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday. Francis made history in his own right as the first Jesuit Pope, as well as the first non-European Pope. He held papancy from 2013 through 2025, and was known and respected for his progressivism when compared to previous pontiffs.
“I think my classmate just got it,” said Father William Lego of St. Turibius Church in Chicago, according to Julie Bosman of the New York Times.
Lego said that he knew the recently elected Pope after their time studying together as seminaries in Michigan.
"They picked a good man. He always had that sense of being conscious of the poor and trying to help them.”
In his initial address, Pope Leo XIV thanked the cardinals for their election while speaking in multiple languages. Among other roles, he served as a bishop in Peru for over two decades, becoming a naturalized citizen of the nation.
As the new Pope takes over following his election, we'll see how the United States and the rest of the world at large reacts to the first-ever American to hold the highest role in the Catholic churh.