VATICAN CITY – For the first time in history, the head of the Roman Catholic Church is American-born.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old native of Chicago, USA, has been elected the 267th pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, May 8, signaling that the College of Cardinals had reached the required two-thirds majority vote. Thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as the newly elected pope emerged on the Vatican balcony for the first time, greeting the world as Pope Leo XIV.
While Prevost was not seen as a frontrunner heading into the conclave, his long-standing service in the Catholic Church and close ties with Pope Francis gave him substantial influence behind the scenes.
Prevost spent much of his religious career as a missionary and bishop in Peru, where he acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015. He later served as Archbishop of Chiclayo and, in 2023, was brought to Rome by Pope Francis to lead the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, which oversees the selection of church leaders worldwide.
A member of the Augustinian Order, Prevost was twice elected Prior General, the top global position within the centuries-old religious order founded by St. Augustine.
Though he has largely kept a low public profile, his rise within the Vatican signaled Francis’ confidence in his leadership. His election comes at a time of continued transition for the global church, especially in Latin America, which remains home to the largest Catholic population.
Born in the United States, Prevost earned a mathematics degree from Villanova University before entering religious life. His election makes him the first American-born pope, a symbolic milestone as the Church navigates complex challenges in an increasingly globalized and diverse world.
Pope Leo XIV now begins his pontificate at a time marked by shifting geopolitics, growing calls for church reform, and a need for unity across a global Catholic population of over 1.3 billion.
This is a developing story. Stay with HGP Nightly News for continuing updates.
