Catholics around the world rejoiced as white smoke appeared from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, signaling the election of a new Pope.
In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the 267th Bishop of Rome, assuming the papal name Pope Leo XIV.
An American-born prelate and lifelong missionary, Prevost’s election came with many milestones: he is the first member of the Augustinian order in over seven centuries to ascend to the papacy and only the second pontiff from the Americas, following the election of Pope Francis.
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is of French, Italian, and Spanish descent. His North American lineage is complemented by his extensive pastoral experience in Latin America, following the completion of a mathematics degree at Villanova University.
After pursuing philosophical studies, Prevost joined the Order of Saint Augustine, professing his solemn vows in 1981. A year later, he was ordained a priest in Rome. He then obtained a doctorate in Canon Law and committed his life to missionary work.
Prevost spent two decades in Peru, serving the underprivileged through parish work, teaching in seminaries, and working in the ecclesiastical courts of Trujillo.
Pope Leo XIV is a certified polyglot. His fluency in Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, and his ability to read Latin and German, have allowed him to connect across linguistic and cultural divides in his ministry.
The election of Pope Leo XIV has left a significant mark on the hearts of the faithful. As the first Augustinian since the Middle Ages tasked to lead more than 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, he now serves as a powerful reminder to the enduring spiritual and intellectual legacy of the Order of Saint Augustine.
