After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the world became invested in the question of who would become the next pope. On the second day of the conclave, the cardinal electors of the Catholic Church elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope. Announced by Dominique Mamberti, the decision marks the first time in history that an American was elected as the bishop of Rome.
Childhood
Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is an American and Peruvian citizen born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. His papal name was inspired by Pope Leo, who was in office during the Technological Revolution. He grew up in a family of extremely devoted Catholic parents, who routinely took Pope Leo and his two older brothers to church.
“They never missed church, and they were very active within our parish,” Linda Jorsch, who has known the Prevost families since Pope Leo’s childhood, told CBS News. “His mom was like a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. They were lectors in their church–very active, very devout family.”
Education
After graduating from high school in Holland, Michigan, the Pope got a degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania. After graduation, he studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago and earned a Master’s of Divinity.
As a seminary student, he was required to study canon law. This law, which governs the hierarchy of the church, is one that all Catholics have to learn and follow before entering any religious profession. His superiors sent him to the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome to earn a doctorate. That same year, he was ordained as a priest.
A friend who attended this seminary with Pope Leo, Father Mark Francis described Pope Leo as being serious and a good leader. According to CNN, he stated, “[Pope Leo] is a calm person who is not a careerist, is not just seeking a promotion–but someone who’s there to serve.”
He later also described that the Chicago church Pope Leo attended emphasized the role of women in religious activities. Pope Leo came to reflect a similar perspective, showing great respect for women and their voices, especially in the religious setting. Additionally, he intends to continue Pope Francis’s reforms of prioritizing the migrants and the impoverished.
Religious Activities before Becoming Pope
In 1985, the New Bishop of Rome obtained his official licentiate and was sent as a missionary to Chulucanas, Peru, teaching Canon Law to the church community. He later prepared a doctoral thesis on “The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine,” which led to his appointment as the vocations and missions executive of the Augustian district in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Once again, Pope Leo was sent to Peru to manage an Augustinian seminary in Trujillo.
It is crucial to acknowledge that the College of Cardinals not only elected the first American but also the first Augustinian Pope. Augustinians are members of multiple religious orders that adhere to the Rule of Saint Augustine, a theological system that emphasizes finding grace within salvation, free will, and God’s jurisdiction.
In 2014, the new pope was selected as chief executive of the Dioceses of Chiclayo by former Pope Francis. Furthermore, according to Vatican News, the former pope summoned Pope Leo to Rome and appointed him as a high official of the Vatican’s main administrative assembly for bishops called the Dicastery of Bishops. It did not take long for Pope Francis to promote him to the rank of archbishop. Finally, on January 28, 2024, Pope Leo obtained the official title of cardinal in the Catholic Church and was assigned the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
Pope Leo’s Friendship with Pope Francis
Pope Leo’s promotions throughout his career reflect how Pope Leo and Pope Francis’s relationship was a long-standing friendship. The New York Times states that their connection began in Buenos Aires when Pope Francis went by Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
When Francis was elected as pope in 2013, Pope Leo had become the previous executive of the Augustinian Order in Rome. However his papacy had no effect on their relationship, and Francis invited Pope Leo to lead a private Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome. Reflecting the significance of this act, Augustinian Reverend Anthony Banks stated in The New York Times, “Popes don’t have the time or the energy to spend’ at congregational Masses.” Pope Leo responded by calling the former pope “a great gift” and admiring his benevolence during the mass.
In 2023, Pope Francis summoned Pope Leo to the Vatican’s cabinet and appointed him to the high-ranking job of managing the bishops. While he expressed wishing to stay in Chiclayo, Pope Leo was honored by the trust Pope Francis had placed in him.
Ironically, it was Pope Francis who was an ardent supporter of Pope Leo as he would maintain closer ties with him, meeting him every Saturday. During a meeting with church officials, he openly praised Pope Leo’s preparation and work ethic. Former Pope Francis’s faith in Pope Leo played a big part in driving him to his papacy.
In the week since he was elected as the pope, he pledged to align himself with ordinary people and called for the end of war, as stated in The New York Times. He has also spoken out against the issue of online media causing societal divisions, announcing that the world needs “communication that is capable of listening” rather than arguing.
On the day of the announcement, Pope Leo appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and said to the Catholics, “Peace be with you all.” Now the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Pope Leo is expected to continue setting the tone for unity in a time of political instability.
