AP PHOTOS: A look at Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the US

Thursday 08 May 2025 19:21 BST

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Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first pope from the U.S.

Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere.

The Chicago native is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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AP PHOTOS: A look at Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the US

AP PHOTOS: A look at Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the US

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