Who is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first American Pope

In a historic and unexpected move, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the new leader of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. His election was confirmed on Thursday when white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the 133 cardinal electors had reached a decision. Roughly 70 minutes later, French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and declared “Habemus Papam” (“We have a Pope”) to a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in Vatican City. Moments later, the newly elected pontiff emerged, marking a monumental moment in Church history: the rise of the first American pope.Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago on September 14, 1955, the 69-year-old pontiff is of French and Italian descent. He attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1982.Prevost is a member of the Order of Saint Augustine and devoted much of his early clerical life to missionary work in Peru. He began serving in the Augustinian mission there in 1985, working as a parish pastor and diocesan official. After a brief return to Chicago in 1987, he went back to Peru, where he remained active for decades. From 2015 to 2023, he was the Bishop of Chiclayo, as reported by the National Catholic Reporter.His leadership extended beyond Peru. From 2001 to 2013, he served as Prior General of the Augustinians, leading the global order. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, key roles that deepened his influence in Church governance. That same year, he was elevated to cardinal, and in early 2025, to cardinal-bishop, the Church’s highest rank of cardinal.Pope Leo XIV’s election has been met with enthusiasm both in the U.S. and around the world. U.S. President Donald Trump shared his congratulations on Truth Social:“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”