In a very quiet and secret meeting at the Vatican City (that’s the special home of the Pope in Rome), a big decision was about to be made—who would be the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Inside a famous room called the Sistine Chapel, 132 special priests called cardinals from all over the world had gathered. They were trying to pick the next Pope, the leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
One of the men in the room was Cardinal Robert Prevost from the United States. As people kept voting, it became clear that he might be chosen as the new pope.
That’s when something very human happened.
Another cardinal from New Jersey, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, saw Prevost sitting with his head in his hands.
Tobin said:
“I looked at him and I was praying for him… because I couldn’t imagine what it feels like to face something that big.”
It looked like Cardinal Prevost was nervous or even overwhelmed, which is totally understandable! Becoming the Pope is a huge responsibility—it means being a spiritual father to millions of people around the world.
But then something amazing happened.
When it was time to decide, Cardinal Prevost accepted. And right away, the other cardinals said he seemed ready.
“It was like he was made for it,” said Cardinal Tobin. “It looked like God gave him a sign, and he said yes.”
On Thursday evening, the world learned that Cardinal Robert Prevost had become Pope Leo XIV—the first American Pope in history!
So… Who Is Pope Leo XIV?
Before becoming Pope, Robert Prevost was:
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A missionary (a person who travels to help others and share faith) in Peru
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A senior leader in the Vatican for the past 2 years
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Not very well-known around the world… until now!
What Happened Inside the Secret Conclave?
At a press conference, some of the cardinals gave little sneak peeks into what it was like during the voting:
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Cardinal Timothy Dolan from New York joked about the food, saying it helped everyone “get it over with” faster.
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The cardinals all seemed to agree that Pope Leo XIV was the right choice, even though he wasn’t famous before.
They also talked a bit about how Pope Leo might work with world leaders, like former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“He’ll try to build bridges with every country’s leader,” said Cardinal Dolan. “That includes Trump—but also leaders from all over the world.”
Will Pope Leo Be Like Pope Francis?
Some people asked if Pope Leo will speak out about big political issues, just like Pope Francis did. For example, Pope Francis didn’t like President Trump’s idea to deport many immigrants.
But the cardinals said:
“We were looking for someone like Francis, but not an exact copy,” said Cardinal McElroy from Washington, D.C.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who used to lead in Washington, added a little joke to lighten the mood:
“Let’s give Pope Leo some space… after all, he’s never been pope before!”
In Short:
🕊️ Cardinal Prevost was nervous at first—but found the courage to say yes.
🌍 He is now Pope Leo XIV—the very first American pope in history!
🙏 The world is watching, and many believe he was meant for this.
💬 And yes… even popes start with a little nervousness and a lot of heart.
