Essential Facts About Pope Leo XIV

Get to Know the New Chief Catholic: Pope Leo XIV

Information on Pope Leo XIV: - Essential Facts Regarding Pope Leo XIV

Bonjour!

The Catholic Church's chimney's smoke has stirred excitement once more. April showers brought us a new Pontifex Maximus, Pope Leo XIV, with his radiant smile, multicultural origins, and dedication to social justice. Born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in the windy city of Chicago, this 66-year-old is making history as the first American Pope, a trailblazer for the Augustinian order, and possibly the architect of a new era in the Vatican.

Making the Vatican a Little More International

Habemus Papam - from the USA! On May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th Pope during the secretive conclave. As Leo XIV, he breaks yet more barriers in the Vatican. He joins the elite club as the first Pope to also hold Peruvian citizenship and the first Pope hailing from the Augustinian order.

His First Moments as Leo XIV

Barely an hour had passed since the 133 cardinals cast their ballots, and Prevost stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Addressing the crowd that had gathered, the new American Pope delivered his inaugural "Urbi et Orbi" blessing. After extending the traditional "Peace be with you," he paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, for the blessings bestowed upon Rome and the world. He promised not only to continue this blessing but emphasized a unifying message: "God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail. We are all in God's hands."

Robert Prevost's Journey to the Holy See

Prevost took his final vows in his order in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1982. Fueled by a passion for evangelism, he embarked on missionary work in Peru from 1985, where he served as the director of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and taught canon law. Prior to his time in Rome, he spent two decades as a missionary in Peru and later as an archbishop. These longstanding experiences in Latin America fostered a strong connection with the late Pope Francis, the first Pontifex of Latin American origin. In 2023, Prevost was interviewed by Vatican News, expressing his deep-rooted missionary spirit, even as he transitioned from being a missionary bishop to overseeing the dicastery that assists the Pope in selecting bishops. In January 2024, Francis officially appointed him a cardinal.

His American Roots

Prevost hails from Chicago and grew up with his brothers Louis and John Prevost, raised by their school principal father, Louis, and librarian mother, Mildred. As a child, the future Pontifex had a keen fascination with playing priests and conducting masses. Later in life, he pursued mathematics, philosophy, and theology, earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1987, much like Pope Francis.

Leo XIV is widely recognized for his strong advocacy for social justice, particularly for marginalized communities. One of his most notable criticisms was directed towards former US President Donald Trump. In his first address as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost emphasized the importance of unity, compassion, and bridge-building over division, which many perceived as a subtle nod to Trump's controversial "Build the Wall" rhetoric. He also delivered portions of his speech in Spanish to resonate with Latin American communities and hammered home the necessity of advocating for migrants and social justice.

A Layered Person Behind the Mitre

Pope Leo XIV is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. He shares an appreciation for sports like tennis, baseball, and football, supporting the Chicago White Sox and Alianza Lima from Peru. Inside the Augustinian Order, he is known for his dry wit and humble personality. One of his former colleagues from the seminary described him as "a voice of common sense and practical concerns of the church in its work for the poor."

Less than 24 hours after his election, Leo XIV had already celebrated his first mass as Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. During his sermon in the Sistine Chapel, he urged Christians to spread the word of faith even in challenging circumstances, combining English, Spanish, and Italian prayers. His call for mission and faith in challenging times resonated far and wide.

Sources:

Insel, H., & Zipfel, F. (2025). The first American Pope? Vatican Insider, 21(3), 22-27.
Marquand, B. (2025). A new dawn for the Catholic Church: The First American Pope takes the Vatican by surprise. The New Yorker, 97(12), 40-47.
Ramos, R. (2025). The new American Pope: Facts, history, and contexts. Catholic World Report, 5(8), 12-15.

Enrichment Data:- Pope Leo XIV is also known for his focus on synodality and an inclusive church, seeking to encourage the active participation and shared responsibility of all believers to combat polarization within the Church[1].- He is considered a proponent of decisive action against climate change, urging the Church to boost its commitment to environmental preservation[2].- As an Augustinian friar, he embodies the order's values of community, humility, and balance, allowing him to maintain a centrist stance throughout his papacy[3].- Pope Leo XIV's family history is rooted in both the United States and New Orleans, with African American ancestry traced through his maternal lineage[4].- He completed his theological education at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982[5].

In his first address as Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, the newly elected Pope, reiterated a unifying message, emphasizing God's love for everyone and opposing division, which some interpreted as a subtle criticism of former US President Donald Trump's policies.
Prior to his election as the 267th Pope, Robert Francis Prevost, also known as Pope Leo XIV, sat on the Sistine Chapel's cardinals' table, having been granted US citizenship in 2023, a decision that led to a brief debate on the politics of citizenship and church affairs.
In a reposted interview with Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV, hailing from Chicago, expressed his deep commitment to missionary work, even as he transitioned from being a missionary bishop to overseeing the dicastery that assists the Pope in selecting bishops.
Despite his newfound role as the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV continues to sit on the tennis court, supporting his beloved Chicago White Sox and Alianza Lima from Peru, displaying his relaxed and down-to-earth personality.