Some of the people overflowing with papal pride are members of Pope Leo XIV‘s own family.

Francis’s 69-year-old successor is the first U.S.-born pope in the 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church, which has grown to 1.4 billion strong.

Americans in St. Peter’s square were stunned and joyous when they learned that an American cardinal, Robert Provost, was elected pope and had taken the name Leo XIV.