Taking the name Leo XIV, the American was elected to be the 267th pontiff and spiritual leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics.

Cardinals, including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich at left, appear at the Vatican on May 8, 2025, after the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the 267th pope. He chose the name Pope Leo XIV.

As details of Pope Leo XIV's past life come to light many are struck by his Chicago roots and his Chicago-ness.

Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — has been welcomed with American capitalism in his home city, with vendors saying they've already sold hundreds of pope-themed T-shirts.

Those who knew Pope Leo XIV as a younger man say his path to the papacy has prepared him well for the challenges ahead.

On Thursday afternoon -- running with a claim by an ABC News reporter -- the Chicago Cubs boasted that Pope Leo XIV was a fan of theirs, with their famous signage outside Wrigley Field telling the locals the good news: "Hey, Chicago. He's a Cubs fan!"