MANILA, Philippines — Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, has made history as the 267th pontiff of the Catholic Church and its first-ever American pope.
Here are fast facts about the new head of the Vatican:
Of mixed heritage, a polyglot
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Leo comes from a diverse background. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was of French and Italian descent, while his mother, Mildred Martinez, was of Spanish descent.
He is also a polyglot, fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German.
His decades-long ministry in Peru led to his acquisition of dual citizenship, making him the first pope to hold such a status.
He is only 69 years old
Leo was born on Sept. 14, 1955, making him 69 years old and the youngest pope elected in the 21st century.
He entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977, at age 22, under the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Saint Louis. The order, inspired by St. Augustine's teachings, has as unity amid differences as a core teaching, both with one another and with the wider church.
In recent years, he held high-ranking roles in the Roman Curia. In 2023, he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Last year, he was assigned the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
Two decades of service in Peru
Although American by birth, Leo spent more than 20 years serving in Peru, where he became a well-known pastoral leader.
He was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by the late Pope Francis in 2015, serving until 2023. During this time, he was elected second vice president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference.
His early mission work began in Chulucanas, Piura, from 1985 to 1986, while he was completing his doctoral thesis on “The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine,” which he defended in 1987.
From 1988 to 1999, he held several key roles in Peru:
- Prior of the Augustinian community
- Formation director for future Augustinians
- Instructor for professed members
- Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese of Trujillo
- Professor of Canon Law, Patristics and Moral Theology at the Major Seminary San Carlos y San Marcelo
- Pastoral caregiver to Our Lady Mother of the Church parish, later established as Saint Rita Parish
Academic roots in mathematics, canon law
Leo XIV earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977 after attending the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers.
In 1982, he was sent to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He was ordained a priest that same year, on June 19, in Rome.
A familiar face in Saint Peter’s Square
The new pope made a public appearance just weeks before his election, presiding over the Rosary in Saint Peter’s Square on March 3, while the late Francis was hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital for double pneumonia.
He now follows in the footsteps of Francis as the second pope from the Americas — and the first to bring the voice of both North and South America to the papacy.
The College of Cardinals elected Pope Leo XIV on the fourth ballot around 12:08 a.m. on May 9 (PST).