Robert Prevost, 69, has been elected as the 267th Pope and will now be known as Pope Leo XIV. He is the first American to become Pope, though he is also closely associated with Latin America because of his many years working as a missionary and bishop in Peru, a BBC report said.
Robert Francis Prevost: Early Life and Journey to Priesthood
According to BBC, Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955 and comes from a family with Spanish and Franco-Italian roots. He served as an altar boy and was ordained a priest in 1982. In 1985, he moved to Peru as part of a mission by the Augustinian Order, where he became known for helping poor and marginalised communities. He later became a bishop in the country and holds Peruvian citizenship.
Prevost also regularly returned to the US to serve as a pastor and prior in his hometown. In Trujillo, Peru, he spent 10 years as a parish priest and seminary teacher, leaving behind a strong legacy of service.
In his first speech as Pope Leo XIV remembered Pope Francis warmly. “We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us,” he said. “United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together,” he told the cheering crowds.
Pope Leo XIV: All you need to know about the new Pope
The BBC report has stated that before becoming Pope, Prevost played a major role in the Church’s leadership in Latin America. He was the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, responsible for choosing and guiding bishops across the region. In January 2023, he was made an archbishop, and just months later, Pope Francis made him a cardinal.
Since 80% of the cardinals who voted in the conclave were chosen by Francis, the election of someone who shared his values, like Prevost, was expected even though he was relatively new to the position of cardinal.
New Pope’s Views and Vision
Pope Leo XIV is seen as someone who will continue Pope Francis’ reforms in the Catholic Church, the BBC reported. He is believed to hold similar views on helping migrants, protecting the environment, and caring for the poor. Rev. John Lydon, a former roommate, described him as “outgoing, down to earth, and very concerned with the poor”, the report said.
Though he is American, Prevost’s Latin American background provides continuity after Francis, the first Pope from Argentina. The Vatican called him the second pope from the Americas and the first ever Augustinian pope.
Challenges and Hope
While in Peru, Prevost’s diocese was affected by the Church’s sexual abuse scandals, but church officials strongly denied any involvement by him in a cover-up, reported BBC.
Ahead of the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the cardinals were looking for a Pope with “a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair.”
Pope Leo XIV’s background and beliefs suggest he may be the leader to carry that vision forward.