Today, the American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new Pope of the Vatican and leader of the Catholic Church, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first American to hold this position.
Prevost is recognized as a significant figure within the global Catholic community, having chosen the papal name Leo XIV.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 14, 1955, Prevost was a close advisor to the late Pope Francis. He is noted for his moderate stance, which allows him to bridge differing perspectives within the Vatican’s governance.
Prevost has held several prominent church positions, including:
- President of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican, a role he assumed on January 30, 2023. This assembly is responsible for making recommendations to the pope regarding the appointment of bishops in Latin-rite churches worldwide.
- Chairman of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a committee focused on examining the status of the Church in a continent that houses approximately 40% of the world’s Catholics.
- In addition to his administrative and spiritual duties, Prevost is fluent in several languages, including English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, enhancing his communication with clergy from different nations.
- He was elevated to the rank of Cardinal on September 30, 2023, and was later appointed as the Cardinal Bishop of Albano, situated near Rome, on February 6, 2025.
In his first public address from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Pope Leo emphasized a message of peace, greeting the crowd with “peace be upon you all.”
The pope extended a “call for peace to all nations” and urged for the “building of bridges” through “dialogue,” encouraging everyone to “move forward without fear, united, hand in hand with God and each other.”