Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV

The Roman Catholic Church has elected a new leader. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an American prelate with a distinguished record in pastoral ministry and church governance, has been chosen as the 267th pope. He emerged from the conclave held in the Sistine Chapel and took the papal name Pope Leo XIV. The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to a jubilant crowd gathered in Vatican City.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, the new pope brings decades of experience to the role. Before his election, he served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis on September 30, 2023, and promoted to cardinal-bishop of Albano in February 2025.

Pope Leo XIV’s early journey in the Church began in the Order of St. Augustine. He completed his secondary studies at the order’s minor seminary in 1973 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977. He took his solemn vows in 1981 and obtained a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in 1982. He later studied canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, earning both Licentiate and Doctorate degrees.

Ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, Prevost began missionary work in Peru in 1985, serving in Chulucanas and later in Trujillo. There, he held various roles including community prior, formation director, and professor of canon law. In 1999, he was elected Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He later served two terms as Prior General of the entire order from 2001 to 2013.

In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, and he was consecrated a bishop later that year. He led the diocese from 2015 until 2023. His long-standing connection with the region was further recognized in 2015 when he became a naturalized citizen of Peru.

Known for his pastoral sensitivity, theological depth, and commitment to social justice, Pope Leo XIV is expected to bring a reform-driven approach to the papacy. Vatican analysts see his choice of the name "Leo" as a nod to previous reform-minded popes, possibly indicating his vision for the Church in the modern world.

Pope Leo XIV now assumes his role as Bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State. His inaugural Mass is expected in the coming days. His episcopal motto, "In illo uno unum"—“In the one Christ, we are one”—highlights his emphasis on unity and spiritual leadership as he begins his new mission as the head of the Catholic Church.