In a shocking vote that caught the Catholic world by surprise, the College of Cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost, 69, the 267th pope on Thursday (May 8). He is the first United States citizen to become the Bishop of Rome.
The Chicago-born Prevost, 69, has chosen to take the name Pope Leo XIV, signalling a kinship with the 19th century Pope Leo XIII, who was known for opening the doors of the church to world and made Catholic social teaching a central issue during his pontificate.
As he walked out of the Loggia onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the cheering crowd in the square below, he said, “Peace be with you all!” Remembering the Easter season being celebrated in the church, he added, “I would like this greeting of peace to reach all people, in the entire world.”
At his mention of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died April 21, the crowd roared, and the new pope reminded them, “We are all in the hands of God. Hence, without fear, united hand in hand with God and with each other we go forward, we are disciples of Christ, Christ precedes us!”
An Illinois native, he graduated from Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union, but has spent much of his career outside the U.S., having served from 2015-2023 as the Archbishop of Chiclayo in Peru, where he also holds citizenship.
Francis brought him to Rome to serve as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, as well as the head of the Dicastery for Bishops — a powerful Vatican office that vets bishops around the world. Francis elevated him to cardinal in September 2023. Two years later, Francis made him a cardinal-bishop, the highest rank among cardinals.
He has kept a low profile in Rome, making his views on hot-button issues something of a mystery. But in a rare interview with Vatican News, he painted the picture of a church leader that “must not hide behind an idea of authority that no longer makes sense today. The authority we have is to serve, to accompany priests, to be pastors and teachers.”
By Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service
