A wave of congratulations from world leaders poured in following the historic election of Cardinal Robert Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—as the 267th Bishop of Rome and spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Elected on Thursday after four rounds of voting within the secretive papal conclave, which commenced the day before, the 69-year-old Prevost marks a significant moment in Church history as the first American to ascend to the papacy.
Pope Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025—Easter Monday—leaving behind a legacy defined by social outreach, environmental advocacy, and a renewed emphasis on humility in leadership.
A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, the new pontiff was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, by Archbishop Jean Jadot at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica. His election signals not only a geographic shift but possibly a new pastoral direction for the global Church.
The new Pope, born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
On September 26, 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis.
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In 2019, Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Clergy and in 2020, a member of the Congregation for Bishops.
On January 30, 2023, the Pope called him to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, promoting him to the rank of Archbishop.
Pope Francis created him Cardinal in the Consistory of September 30 that year and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
Moments after the iconic white smoke curled into the Roman sky above the Sistine Chapel—signaling the successful election of a new pontiff—Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti stepped forward to deliver the ancient proclamation: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam”—“I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope.”
Soon after, Pope Leo XIV appeared for the first time before the faithful from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Greeting the sea of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square with a voice both calm and resolute, the newly elected pontiff offered his first words as the Vicar of Christ: “Peace be with all of you.”
Drawing inspiration from the words of the resurrected Christ, he continued with a message of hope and unity, pledging to lead a Church anchored in faith and fidelity to the Gospel.
“Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the Risen Christ—the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God,” he declared. “I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.”
In those first solemn words, Pope Leo XIV set the tone for a papacy rooted in reconciliation, renewal, and a deeply personal call for spiritual peace across a divided world.