Pope Leo XIV has broken the seal on the papal apartments, marking one of his first major symbolic moments as pontiff

I met the man who would become Pope Leo XIV in October 2023. We were standing outside the Vatican’s Synod Hall, and from my short conversation with Cardinal Robert Prevost, I could tell he was a good listener,

Political 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.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

The new pontiff spoke to NBC News anchor Lester Holt, who was part of a news conference for some 6,000 journalists from around the world.

The U.S. is one of only a handful of countries that taxes citizens living abroad. Thus, thanks to his American passport, the 69-year-old Chicago-born pope, known until last week as Robert Prevost, will likely need to file a tax return to the U.S. government just like any other citizen, experts told Fortune.

In a move that bridges centuries of tradition with the digital age, Pope Leo XIV is officially keeping the papacy online. According to a press release from the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication, the new pontiff will maintain an active presence on social media through the official papal accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Pope Leo XIV shared his first message on the official papal social media accounts this week, continuing the digital outreach of his predecessors with a post focused on peace.

Abuse watchdog groups have expressed concern, but Leo has been lauded by other survivors for his handling of abuse.