Who was elected as the Head of the Catholic Church on May 8th, 2025?

The papal conclave of 2025 was convened to elect a pope, the leader of the Catholic Church, to succeed Francis following his death on 21 April 2025.

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, (September 14, 1955) is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected pope in the 2025 conclave on May 8, 2025.

A dual citizen of the United States and Peru, Leo is the first pope from North America and the first to be a Peruvian citizen. He is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine.

Ahead of the 2025 papal conclave, Prevost was considered a dark horse, although he was noted to be an ally of Pope Francis and a possible compromise candidate. His American nationality was thought to be a drawback to his election; after Pope Francis from the Americas, some expected a European. Additionally, the United States being a superpower had historically been a reason for the lack of an American pope and the international situation after Donald Trump's re-election in 2024 may have influenced perceptions. Supporters argued that he represented a "dignified middle of the road"