Pope Leo XIV live updates: Cardinal hopes Pope Leo will 'build a bridge' with Trump

Leo is the fifth-most-popular name chosen by popes.

Pope Leo XIII, who headed the Catholic Church from 1878 until his death in 1903, was a founding figure of the Catholic social justice tradition.

While popes aren't obliged to change their name, every pontiff for the past 470 years has done so, usually choosing the name of a predecessor to both honor them and signal their intention to emulate his example. Pope Francis was a notable exception, choosing not the name of a former pope but that of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric and patron saint of animals and the environment.

Take a look at photos from Vatican City as it is announced that Pope Leo XIV is the next pontiff.

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White smoke billows from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

AP

The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in the 13th century as a community of "mendicant" friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.

The order's requirements and ethos are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.

The order works in about 50 countries, according to its website, promoting a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has become the first-ever American elected as the leader of the Catholic Church -- now known by his pontifical name of Pope Leo XIV.

The 69-year-old, born on the Southside of Chicago, is seen as a diplomat of the church and was an important adviser to his predecessor, Pope Francis.

Go here for everything we know about the newly announced Pope Leo XIV.