Chicago-born Robert Prevost, 69, Elected Pope Leo XIV, First American to Lead Catholic Church

The College of Cardinals ended its 2025 conclave on 8 May by electing Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Prevost, 69, chose the papal name Leo XIV, making him the first American—and the first North American—to lead the world’s roughly 1.4 billion Catholics. An Augustinian missionary, Prevost spent decades ministering in Peru before Pope Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to head the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the Vatican’s most powerful offices. His pastoral work in Latin America and administrative experience in vetting episcopal appointments are expected to shape his approach to governance and reform. Pope Leo XIV celebrated his inaugural Mass with the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on 9 May. Speaking spontaneously in English, he said his election was “both a cross and a blessing” and pledged to be a “faithful administrator” who would guide the Church “through the dark nights of this world.” Vatican observers note that his choice of name, recalling Popes Leo I and Leo XIII, signals continuity with Pope Francis’s social-justice agenda. Leaders and lawmakers in the United States and abroad quickly congratulated the new pontiff, calling his election a historic milestone for the Church and for American Catholics. The Vatican has yet to announce the date of the public installation Mass in St. Peter’s Square, but preparations for the traditional ceremony are under way.