After twelve years in office, Pope Francis died on Easter Monday 2025. On May 8, after a conclave lasting only two days, the cardinals elected his successor: Robert Francis Prevost, the first American pope. He chose the name Leo XIV. Who was this pope? And what did his election mean for the future of the Catholic Church? Vatican expert Michael Hesemann offers exclusive insights into the life of the pontiff. Biography: Michael Hesemann, born in 1964, studied history, journalism, and cultural anthropology at the University of Göttingen. He currently works as a historian, documentary filmmaker, and specialist journalist for popular science and church history topics. He has numerous publications to his name, and his films have received several awards. New product