History was made on May 8, 2025, when Robert Francis Prevost emerged as the newly elected pope, taking the name Leo XIV. The announcement was met with thunderous cheers from tens of thousands gathered at St. Peter’s Square as he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, smiling and waving warmly to the crowd.
Prevost’s election marks a remarkable chapter for the Catholic Church, as he becomes both the first American-born pope and the first member of the Order of Saint Augustine to ascend to the papacy in centuries.
Here are ten essential facts about the new pontiff:
1. Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, making history as the first person from the United States to hold the papal office.
2. He became a member of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977, making his solemn vows in 1981. Interestingly, this religious order was also the spiritual home of Martin Luther before the Reformation.
3. Prevost dedicated over 20 years of his ministry in Peru, where he worked as a parish priest, seminary teacher, and diocesan official. He later became a naturalised Peruvian citizen and was named Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, a post he held for several years.
4. The new pope’s academic background is extensive. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University (1977), a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome. His doctoral thesis focused on governance within the Augustinian Order.
5. Fluent in multiple languages, Prevost speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. He also reads Latin and German.
6. In January 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, an influential role overseeing the appointment of bishops worldwide. Later that year, he was created a cardinal and, in less than three years, rose to the papacy.
7. He has been widely respected for his compassionate ministry, particularly for his work with marginalised groups like Venezuelan migrants in Peru, reflecting his pastoral heart and social concern.
8. The new pope has held conservative views on certain issues. He has opposed the ordination of women to the diaconate and voiced his reservations about the growing influence of “gender ideology” in educational systems.
9. His family heritage is as diverse as his ministry. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was a U.S. Navy veteran of French and Italian ancestry and a school administrator, while his mother, Mildred Martínez, was a librarian of Spanish descent.
10. Prevost was elected pope on the second day of the 2025 conclave, securing the necessary two-thirds majority vote from the 133 cardinal electors. Upon his election, he chose the name Leo XIV and addressed the faithful from the famous balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica, delivering a message of peace, unity, and hope for the future of the Church.
