NEW POPE ANNOUNCED

Chicago's Robert Francis Prevost, Villanova grad, announced as newest pope

Prevost will take the papal name of Leo XIV

Regional Editor - Philadelphia Suburbs

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Credit: Aaron Burden / Unsplash.com

While many did not think an American would ever be selected as the pope, a Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, takes to the balcony at St. Peter's Basilica Thursday, the world celebrates a Villanova graduate.

After the traditional white smoke arose from the Sistine Chapel, the world anxiously awaited the official announcement. Today, the Villanova graduate was from the class of 1977. He obtained an undergraduate degree in mathematics.

Speaking in Italian, he wished "peace to all people" from the balcony. Provost will take the papal name of Leo XIV.

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Melissa S. Finley

Melissa is a 27-year veteran journalist who has worked for a wide variety of publications over her enjoyable career. A summa cum laude graduate of Penn State University’s College of Communications (We are!) with a degree in journalism, Finley is a single mother to two teens, and her "baby" a chi named The Mighty Quinn. She enjoys bringing news to readers far and wide on a variety of topics.