Cardinal Robert Prevost is the first American to become Pope after being elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church.
On May 8, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV, becoming the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
The new pope, 69, is an American who spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, and is a relatively little-known figure on the international stage.
Created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, Mr. Prevost barely gives media interviews and rarely speaks in public.
Born in Chicago, USA, he attracted attention from colleagues for his calm style and support for the late Pope Francis, especially his commitment to social justice issues.
Mr. Prevost served as bishop in Chiclayo, northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.
Also in 2023, Pope Francis called him to the Vatican to head the body responsible for selecting priests who will become Catholic bishops around the world, meaning he has been involved in the selection process for many bishops around the world.
“Our job is to widen the tent and let people know that they are all welcome in the Church,” he said at a Vatican press conference in 2023.
He is the first American to become Pope. Observers expect him to continue the reforms of Pope Francis.
The new Pope also holds a Peruvian passport and has been a Peruvian citizen since 2015.
He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, then went on to receive a degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
He was sent to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, and was ordained a priest in June 1982. Later in his career, he taught canon law at a seminary in Trujillo, Peru.
In an interview with Vatican News shortly after his appointment as head of the Congregation for Bishops, Mr. Prevost shared: “I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever it is.”
In his speech, Pope Leo XIV thanked the Cardinals for their confidence in him as head of the Catholic Church.
“I also want to express my gratitude to all the brother cardinals who have chosen me as their successor,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV outlined his vision of the Catholic Church as a Church that “builds bridges” and is active in dialogue.
“We must work together to become a missionary Church. A Church that builds bridges and dialogues,” he stressed.
The new Pope also called on people to “show charity” to everyone “and to dialogue with love”.
On social media, President Donald Trump expressed his joy when Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope, calling it “a Great Honor for our Country”.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who has just been elected Pope. It is an honor to know that he is the first American Pope. It is exciting, and it is a great honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment,” he emphasized.
