History was made on Thursday when Robert Francis Prevost was selected as the first American head of the Catholic Church, taking the name of Pope Leo XIV.

The idea of an American pope has historically been considered a long shot because cardinals typically pick leaders from non-superpower nations.

Here are five takeaways from Thursday’s historic election:

American Catholics rejoice

When white smoke began to billow above the Sistine Chapel after just two days of conclave deliberation, signaling a new pope had been selected, anticipation around the world immediately grew.

As soon as Leo walked across the balcony to address the crowd gathered in Vatican City, news that the incoming pope was an American — the first ever — spread across the country like wildfire.

In the U.S., cable and network news channels provided wall-to-wall coverage of the scene in Rome, which saw thousands of people cheering, praying and crying as Leo spoke to the crowd.

American Catholics proclaimed pride across social media, while top U.S. leaders issued statements congratulating the church’s newest historic leader.

“The church in the U.S. has been growing at a smaller but steady rate and this is likely to send that into overdrive,” said David Lantigua, co-director of the University of Notre Dame’s Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism.

“The fact his first language is English will give him an ability to communicate to the U.S. church and give him a certain amount of trust among American Catholics.”

The first American pope is likely to draw outsized attention and scrutiny, Lantigua said, though he predicted Leo “won't back down on issues that are of importance for the church in its defense in the dignity of the poor and the needy.”

Trump says it’s an 'honor' pope is American

Minutes after Leo took the balcony to address the crowd gathered in Vatican City, President Trump weighed in, expressing gratitude the new pope was born in the U.S.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social........

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