As Cardinal Robert Prevost Becomes First American Pope, A Look At Nationalities Of Popes Since 1900
The nationality with the highest number of Popes is Italian. Over 190 Popes have been Italian.
The appointment of Chicago-born Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV sent waves of excitement across the United States. As he stepped onto the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to address the faithful for the first time, thousands surged into the square, eyes locked on the newly elected Pontiff.
A report by news agency AFP said that many in the crowd had never heard of the man and some exchanged confused glances and checked their phones for more accurate information.
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“An American?" one asked, dubiously.
When the bespeckled 69-year-old Augustinian appeared, a white skullcap on his head and a fuchsia silk cape covering his ivory cassock, a hush fell over the waiting masses.
He spoke of building bridges, walking together, being part of a missionary Church, while citing God’s work as a “disarming peace, humble and persevering".
He spoke in Italian — and also Spanish, the language he learned during his many years as a missionary in Peru.
In the US, Kathy Hewitt from Philadelphia, could hardly contain her excitement.
“That all these cardinals thought that much of someone from America, to represent the whole world… I have no words, it’s just amazing," said the 58-year-old, waving a small American flag alongside her teenage son.
“I’m thrilled that he is American. We did not expect that — it’s a complete surprise and a wonderful surprise."
This is the first time an American cardinal has been elected as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Since the dawn of the 20th century, the papacy has largely been shaped by European leadership, particularly Italian, with only a few exceptions breaking that tradition.
Since 1900, there have been 11 Popes who served either entirely or partially during this period. Out of them 8 of them were Italian.
Here’s the list of Popes since 1900, along with their nationalities and years of papacy:
- Leo XIII (Italian) – 1878 to 1903
- Pius X (Italian) – 1903 to 1914
- Benedict XV (Italian) – 1914 to 1922
- Pius XI (Italian) – 1922 to 1939
- Pius XII (Italian) – 1939 to 1958
- John XXIII (Italian) – 1958 to 1963
- Paul VI (Italian) – 1963 to 1978
- John Paul I (Italian) – 1978 to 1978
- John Paul II (Polish) – 1978 to 2005
- Benedict XVI (German) – 2005 to 2013
- Francis (Argentine) – 2013 to 2025
- Leo XIV – elected on May 9, 2025
The nationality with the highest number of Popes is Italian. Over 190 Popes have been Italian. Roman Popes dominated especially from the early Middle Ages to the Renaissance and well into the 20th century.
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