Overcoming a long-standing taboo against electing a U.S. pontiff, on May 8, 2025, the College of Cardinals announced they had selected Chicagoan Robert Francis Prevost to serve as the 267th pope and shepherd of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. This remarkable, beautifully illustrated keepsake edition looks at Pope Leo XIV and the legacy he inherits. A confidant of Pope Francis, Leo brings a unique set of skills and perspective to the papacy. In addition to being from the United States, he has deep ties to South America, having worked and lived in Peru for two decades, and is a member of the St. Augustine order. Augustines take a vow of poverty and dedicate themselves to service. Said Pope Leo XIV in his first public remarks: “We can be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone—just like in this square, to welcome everyone, in charity, dialogue and love.
THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM • Now comes Leo XIV, the 267th pope—and the first American—in the line begun by Peter more than 2,000 years ago. He inherits a moral authority that transcends the public and political fray.
POPE LEO XIV • The Chicago-born pontiff brings a global outlook and a missionary spirit to St. Peter’s chair.
THE AMERICAN POPE • Reserved, moderate, and discreet, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was described as the least American of the American papal candidates, which clearly worked in his favor.
Breaking with Tradition • For 455 years, the papacy passed uninterrupted from one Italian to another. But starting with John Paul II of Poland in 1978, and now including Leo XIV of the U.S., papal geography is changing.
What’s in a Name? • Since 533, new pontiffs have chosen a papal moniker to honor a predecessor.
Leo’s Conclave Competition • Only a handful of the 133 cardinals who participated in the 2025 conclave were considered “papabile,” or capable of becoming pope. But they could not corral the votes.
A HISTORY-MAKING CONCLAVE • The Sistine Chapel was swept for microphones and sealed, and participants were sworn to secrecy. Two days later, the cardinals made a momentous choice: Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff.
What Conclave Got Right About Picking the Pope • The 2024 film provided viewers with insight into how the College of Cardinals operates.
WHAT FRANCIS LEFT BEHIND • Humble from the day he was elected, Pope Francis led by example, trying to give members of the Church—and everyone else—a sense of what life ought to be like.
THE PAPACY’S GLORIOUS PAST AND FUTURE • Each pope is a successor to Peter and serves as the earthly shepherd for the Catholic faithful.
SPREADING THE MESSAGE • Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter, while Paul became famous for his travels to spread the Word. Together, the two apostles helped lead the Church into the future.
THE POPE’S NEW HOME • Leo XIV knows the Vatican well, but as its absolute monarch, he will forge his own path inside its iconic walls.
EMBRACING CHRISTIANITY • By granting freedom of religion throughout the Roman Empire, Constantine the Great made possible the line of popes who followed from the fourth century onward.
THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE • Pope Leo XIV is the 267th man to have served as the Bishop of Rome, and each of them exerted an outsize influence over religious and secular life. Some popes have been saintly. Others, not so much.
THE FAITHFUL AROUND THE GLOBE • The number of Catholics has remained fairly steady in recent years at about 1.4 billion, but fewer people are attending Mass, and recruiting new priests has been a challenge. The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, brings a surge of energy and excitement to Rome.
LIFE Pope Leo XIV: A Pope for All
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His First Sunday...