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Conclave Elects Pope Leo XIV - Robert Prevost

Pope Leo XIV: Who Is Robert Prevost, the American Cardinal Leading the Church?

Habemus Papam! The conclave has ended, and the Catholic Church has a new Pope

05/08/2025, 16:28

Habemus Papam! The conclave has ended, and the Catholic Church has a new Pope. On May 8, 2025, American Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the next pontiff, taking the name Leo XIV.

Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, USA. He also has Franco-Italian and Spanish roots through his mother’s heritage. Prevost earned a degree in Mathematical Sciences and later specialized in Philosophy. He went on to study Theology in Chicago, where he received recognition for his focus on intercultural mission work.

He’s also well known for his language skills, speaking English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, and having some understanding of Latin and German.

American cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Leo XIV, has been elected a new pope by the cardinal electors on the second day of the conclave. On May 8th, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Beata Zawrzel/Getty Images)

Robert Prevost: Pope Leo XIV

Prevost has had a remarkable career within the Catholic Church. Before being elected Pope, he served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru and later as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican. His leadership in these roles earned him the trust and respect of his fellow cardinals—trust that ultimately led to his election as the successor to Pope Francis.

Pope Francis appoints as new cardinal U.S-born prelate prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Robert Francis Prevost during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Creation of new Cardinal at St. Peter’s Square on September 30, 2023 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Vatican Media/Getty Images)

As Pope Leo XIV, he now faces major challenges: healing internal divisions within the Church, addressing the ongoing vocations crisis, and responding to the rise of secularism in many parts of the world. He is also expected to carry forward key reforms begun under Pope Francis, particularly in areas like financial transparency and the Church’s response to sexual abuse.

Pope Leo XIV’s First Words to the World

“Dearest brothers and sisters,” —with this greeting, Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver his first Urbi et Orbi blessing (“to the city and the world”). In his opening message, Robert Prevost, now officially Leo XIV, paid tribute to Pope Francis and thanked the cardinals for placing their confidence in him.