American Cardinal Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope of the Catholic Church, choosing the name Leo XIV.
At 69 years old, the Chicago-born prelate is the first American to ascend to the papacy and is widely regarded as a skilled diplomat within the Church. Born in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian heritage, Prevost grew up in Chicago, where he served as an altar boy before being ordained as a priest on June 19, 1982. Three years later, he relocated to Peru.
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Now a dual citizen, Prevost is warmly remembered in Peru for his work with marginalized communities and his efforts to foster unity. He spent a decade serving as a parish priest and teaching at a seminary in Trujillo, located in northwestern Peru.
According to the Vatican Press Office, Prevost studied canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. In 2014, the late Pope Francis appointed him bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, marking the beginning of his formal service within the Vatican hierarchy.
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He was later named apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao in April 2020. Since 2023, he has served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the global selection and vetting of new bishops.
In an interview with Vatican News in October 2024, Pope Leo emphasized that “a bishop is not meant to be a little prince ruling over his domain, but is instead called to humility to remain close to the people he serves, to walk alongside them, and to share in their struggles.”
He also holds the position of president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
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