Pope Leo XIV Elected as the 267th Pontiff

Pope Leo XIV, originally known as Robert Francis Prevost, became the 267th pontiff on May 8, 2025. His election followed the assembly of the College of Cardinals in Vatican City, which convened to select a new Vicar of Christ after the passing of Pope Francis. Prevost’s lifelong devotion to the Catholic Church was evident through his service in Chicago and Peru, making him a fitting successor to Pope Francis.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV comes from a diverse heritage, being of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent. He grew up alongside two siblings, John Prevost and Louis Martin Prevost. His commitment to the Catholic faith began early, leading him to enter the seminary after completing eighth grade. Among his personal interests, Pope Leo XIV enjoys playing tennis, follows the Chicago White Sox, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015.

Pope Leo XIV’s educational journey included graduation from Villanova University in 1977, a private Catholic university located close to Philadelphia. He also received an honorary degree from Merrimack College. His religious path started in the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in Saint Louis in 1977. By August 1981, he took solemn vows, and in 1982, he was ordained as a priest.

His religious mission took him to Peru in 1985, where he served as the chancellor of the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas. His U.S. tenure from 1987-1988 involved serving as a pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He returned to Peru, leading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching Canon Law for about a decade.

In 1999, he moved back to Chicago and was elected provincial prior of the Mother of Good Counsel. Pope Leo XIV’s significant work drew the attention of Pope Francis, who appointed him archbishop of Chiclayo in 2014 after making him the administrator there in 2013.

During his later years in Peru, Prevost held the role of vice-president of the permanent council of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023. This position was pivotal in advancing his role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis.

In January 2023, Pope Francis brought Prevost to the Vatican as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing bishop nominations worldwide. That same year, Pope Francis elevated him to cardinal.

After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, Pope Leo XIV emerged as a frontrunner to succeed him. However, there were concerns about his American nationality and its potential influence on global politics. Despite this, Pope Leo XIV, at the age of 69, secured the papal seat on the second day of the conclave.