Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich participated in the conclave that elected Robert Prevost to lead the Catholic Church as pope.

White smoke trickled through the air in Vatican City on Thursday afternoon, signaling the appointment of the Bishop of Rome - better known as the pope.When the supreme pontiff was unveiled to the masses of parishioners who pooled into the plaza at St.

Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost has spent much of his time serving in Peru. He was elected the first American pope from the U.S., and took the name Leo XIV.