Taking the name, Leo XIV the 69 year old will leads the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, succeeding Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88. But it's not just Chicago

Pope Leo XIV joked and applauded journalists during an audience with media representatives. The meeting took place on Monday in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. Leo XIV emphasized the importance of this profession,

Pope Leo XIV, in his first address to the media, on Monday, urged journalists to focus on reporting the truth instead of engaging in partisan divisions and called for the release of reporters jailed for doing their jobs.

If you weren't obsessively watching the Vatican's chimney these past couple of days, you might have missed when the smoke turned white and a new pope was elected this week. His name? Pope Leo XIV, who is the first American pope to ever be elected.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Bishop William Byrne is holding a news conference on remarks on the election of Pope Leo XIV. 22News is streaming the event from St. Michael’s Cathedral beginning at 2:30 p.m. Watch live in the media player above.