The selection of U.S.-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope on Thursday inspired lots of reactions on social media.
Prevost, who will go by Pope Leo XIV, is the first North American to hold the post, causing the term “American Pope” to trend on X, formerly Twitter.
Many people felt obliged to offer their thoughts.
While people were excited about the “first American pope,” it should be noted that Leo’s predecessor, the Argentine-born Pope Francis, is actually the first pope from the Americas.
Meanwhile, the new pope’s ties to Chicago inspired a new hashtag: #DaPope.
Some people referenced the new pope’s disagreements with Vice President JD Vance.
Other people suggested the decision to pick a pontiff from the U.S. was a politically motivated decision by the Catholic Church.
There were those who suggested unintended consequences over the pick.
And while many people saw the new pope as a win for the USA, a couple of people said it might actually be evidence of a decline.