Cardinal Robert Francis Provest was elected the 267th pope on Thursday.
Cardinal Provest from Chicago is the FIRST AMERICAN POPE!
BREAKING: Cardinal Robert F. Prevost has been elected as the new pope, taking the papal name Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American to hold the position. pic.twitter.com/cja7foFAdz
— Marketing_medias (@Headlin35006781) May 8, 2025
Robert frances provost now Pope Leo XIV
From Chicago, Order of St. Augustine pic.twitter.com/JVlEYDyV10— Sandy
(@RightGlockMom) May 8, 2025
Pope Leo XIV (formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost) is an American-born Catholic prelate who was elected Pope on May 8, 2025, taking the name Leo XIV. He is the first pontiff from the United States and the first from North America in the history of the Catholic Church.
Robert Francis Prevost was elevated to the rank of cardinal on September 30, 2023, by Pope Francis during a consistory held at the Vatican. He was assigned the title of Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Monica degli Agostiniani.
Pope Leo XIV is generally regarded as a centrist within the Catholic Church, blending progressive social outreach with doctrinal conservatism, according to College of Cardinals Report.
Pope Leo XIV has consistently emphasized inclusivity and compassion toward marginalized groups, including the poor and migrants. He is also a strong advocate for synodality, promoting a more inclusive and participatory Church structure.
While progressive in social matters, Pope Leo XIV maintains traditional stances on key doctrinal issues. He opposes the ordination of women as deacons, expressing concerns that such changes might not address underlying challenges within the Church.
Regarding the Vatican’s 2023 document Fiducia Supplicans, which permits non-liturgical blessings for couples in irregular situations (including same-sex couples), he has emphasized the need for national bishops’ conferences to have doctrinal authority to interpret and apply such directives in their local contexts, given cultural differences.
Pope Leo XIV is seen as a continuation of Pope Francis’s vision, particularly in areas like environmental stewardship, outreach to the poor, and promoting a synodal Church.
Early Life and Education
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost comes from a family of French, Italian, and Spanish descent. He entered the Augustinian novitiate in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and both a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
Missionary Work and Leadership Roles
Prevost’s missionary work began in Peru in 1985, where he served in various capacities, including chancellor of the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, director of formation, seminary teacher, and judicial vicar in Trujillo. In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, and in 2001, he was elected Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, a position he held for two six-year terms.
Episcopal Service and Curial Positions
In 2014, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, and he was consecrated as its bishop later that year. He served as bishop of Chiclayo until 2023. In January 2023, he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, positions that significantly raised his profile within the Church hierarchy.
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