Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago will succeed Pope Francis as the leader of the Catholic Church. Prevost, the first American pope in history, will go by Leo XIV. Here's a look at the scenes across Rome and nearby countries after white smoke poured from the chimney.

At this early stage of Leo XIV’s pontificate, the text is a “must read” for Catholics. Here are three notable takeaways.

P olitical figures around the world have congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, after his election on Thursday, May 8, as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago and a dual U.S.-Peru national, Prevost is the first North American Pope and second from the Americas, after his late predecessor Francis.

All signs point to the newly elected pontiff’s continuing in much the same vein as his predecessor, but with a more moderate approach.