The temporary chimney atop the Sistine Chapel released a plume of white smoke on Thursday evening local time, signaling that the 133 cardinals working inside had reached a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope for the Catholic Church.

Still, it was an exciting moment for the Americans who were at the Vatican that day. Mariner says he and his wife were in a restaurant in Rome at the time, surrounded by dozens of U.S. citizens. When the new pope was announced, Mariner heard many of the patrons joyfully exclaim, “He’s an American!”

The rector of a Catholic shrine that has just hosted a major pilgrimage said he was "absolutely delighted" at the election of the new Pope. Father Robert Billing, rector of the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady,

Kentucky coach Mark Pope conducted his first press conference since his first season ended in a loss in March to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. Pope spoke about the new players who will make up the 2025-26 roster;

Louis Prevost’s Facebook posts — no longer publicly viewable — suggest that he has embraced some of the most common complaints and conspiracy theories of the right.

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.

As Pope Leo XIV settles into his new job in the Vatican, Catholics everywhere continue to celebrate, including in the La Grange area.

Such a demanding job can be good for the brain and body. But Pope Leo XIV may also have to contend with challenges that are common in old age.