In a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been elected pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. The Chicago-born missionary becomes the first American in the Church’s 2,000-year history to ascend to the papacy.

Appearing for the first time before the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the 69-year-old pope greeted the world with a simple but powerful message: “Peace be with you.” Speaking in Italian and Spanish, Pope Leo XIV emphasized peace, dialogue, and the missionary spirit that has defined his decades-long ministry in Latin America.

Clad in the traditional red mozzetta, a papal cape that Pope Francis notably declined to wear, Leo XIV projected a message of continuity with the Church's tradition while also signaling his own leadership style rooted in global pastoral experience.

A Missionary Pope

Though born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV holds dual American and Peruvian citizenship, having spent decades in Peru as a missionary, bishop, and later archbishop of Chiclayo. He gained renown for his humility and hands-on approach, notably during Peru’s COVID-19 crisis, where he organized the purchase of oxygen plants and delivered aid personally in flood-ravaged areas.

“He has no problem fixing a broken-down truck until it runs,” said Janinna Sesa, a former colleague at Caritas in Peru. “He worked so hard to find help, that there was not only enough for one plant, but for two.”

His deep ties to Peru helped soften traditional resistance within the Church to an American pope, a taboo rooted in concerns over the United States’ secular geopolitical power.

From Augustinian Leader to Vatican Insider

Before being elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, Prevost twice served as the Prior General of the Augustinian order, whose spirituality emphasizes unity of heart and mind. He is now the seventh Augustinian pope in Church history.

In 2023, Francis appointed him to one of the most influential positions in the Vatican: Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, responsible for vetting bishop appointments worldwide. That role, along with his presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, placed him at the heart of Francis’ reform-oriented papacy.

“He is well known to the men who count,” one Vatican observer noted.

Indeed, Prevost was a key player in one of Francis’ most progressive reforms, allowing women to help vet bishop candidates and was elevated to the highest rank of cardinal in early 2025, a clear signal of Francis’ trust and esteem.

Conclave and Election

The conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV began on May 7, after cardinals spent several days in pre-conclave meetings assessing the future direction of the Church. Out of 135 eligible cardinal electors (under the age of 80), 108 were appointed by Francis, a majority that strongly favored his pastoral and inclusive vision.

Despite speculation over other contenders, including Italians and Latin Americans, Prevost emerged as a unifying figure, a missionary, a reformer, and a bridge between the Global South and the institutional center of Catholicism.

One obstacle had always loomed large: his American nationality. But his Peruvian identity and years of service abroad reframed the narrative.

The Global Church and a Global Pope

Leo XIV inherits a complex Church facing challenges on multiple fronts theological tensions, debates over tradition and reform, and a growing demand for greater inclusion of lay voices, especially women. He also succeeds the deeply influential Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, whose legacy looms large.

Within the Vatican and in Latin America, reactions to Leo XIV’s election have been overwhelmingly positive.

“He maintains good humor and joy, no matter how many problems he has,” said Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil of Chiclayo. “He will bring that to the papacy.”

As he begins his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV brings a missionary heart, a global vision, and a firm grounding in the reformist ethos of his predecessor. His choice of name, Leo XIV, evokes strength, continuity, and perhaps a nod to Pope Leo XIII, known for his emphasis on social justice and the dignity of labor.

As crowds roared in St. Peter’s Square and bells rang across the city, a new chapter began for the Catholic Church, one with its first American pope, and a pastor forged in the fires of service to the peripheries.

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