As white smoke signaled a new pope had been chosen on the evening of May 8, 2025, Robert Prevost went from being a relatively unknown cardinal to one of the most famous people on earth, the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. In electing Leo XIV, the College of Cardinals broke with conventional wisdom that there would never be an American pope. Is it a coincidence that he was chosen at a time of unprecedented political turbulence in the United States? Had the cardinals seen in him someone who would act as a spiritual counterweight to President Donald Trump?
In American Hope CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb explores what the election of Pope Leo means not just for the Catholic Church, but for the world. Drawing on his deep understanding of the Vatican and high-level access to cardinals and senior figures, Lamb paints a portrait of Leo as someone who combines an ability to unify with a steely determination to reform. He provides insights into the themes that will dominate Leo's papacy as the new pope steers a path between traditionalists and reformers.
Leo is set to make a profound impact on the Church at a transformative moment in its history. In the era of "America First", the story of Leo's life and ministry asks what it truly means to be an American. In a world of conflict, he stands for peace. In a time of uncertainty, he offers a sense of hope.
