Good afternoon, Chicago.

Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. Today, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first American pontiff. Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere.

Catholics across the region are celebrating the historic announcement that the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the church was born and raised in the Chicago area. Prevost’s Catholic roots were planted in Chicago’s south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers. He grew up in St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side, attending school there with his siblings. Prevost is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

Only one pope has ever visited Chicago, though. Take a look back at Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1979.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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