The First American Pope Is Elected
Known for grassroots ministry, Leone ran homeless outreach and immigrant services across Brooklyn and the Bronx.Catholic News Service
Pope Leo is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, Latin, French, and Portuguese.Reuters
The U.S. Catholic Church, home to over 70 million faithful, waited generations to see one of its own in the role.Pew Research Center
Pope Leo becomes the first American elected to lead the Catholic Church.Vatican Press Office
Michael Leone was born in Queens, New York, to working-class Italian immigrants.CNN / Vatican Press Briefing